MY Brother
by Moonsetta
Summary: "Thanks big brother" Leo said smiling as he walked out of the dojo. The yellow masked turtle turned and jumped as the door slammed closed. He whipped around, envious red masked eyes stared back "Stay away from MY brother" Raph said with a growl and glare.
1. Chapter 1

Ok, it took me 2 hours of self-reassurance, 15 pep talks from friends and a weird dream but I've finally decided to make an OC. Is everybody happy? Well, this is really, well, actually I'm not sure what this is. When I can conclude anything I'll clue everyone in. Until then, enjoy the story.

Oh and THIS IS MY 50TH STORY! YAY! LET'S CELEBRATE!

I don't own TMNT.

* * *

The creature opened his eyes and stared forward, his vision momentarily clearing. His eyes reflected off of the glass prison he was trapped in. Two orbs with hues of dark onyx stared back at him as he lifted a weak hand towards the color, noticing the light green skin of his arm as it trembled against the wall. He couldn't remember, why he was where he was, but he knew what was outside, if only for this moment, because the arm was coming in, a long, metal rod with a needle inside the liquid filled cell. It stuck in his arm and then his vision grew dark. As he faded away, he slightly heard the top opening as the seal on the prison was broken and hissed as the oxygen rushed in.

When he next opened his eyes, he was blind. It didn't really surprise him. It had happened many times in the past, however long time had been. Then, he watched as scenes played in front of his eyes. His mind was foggy and he accepted, without clear understanding about the creatures he was forced to watch. His automatic memory had him searching for the correct term.

"Turtle," he decided.

Yes, they appeared to be, giant, walking, talking turtles, who knew the ancient art of nin-jutsu. When this word was formed in his throat, 'nin-jutsu' he felt a certain pride inside of him but he was told by his creator. They were the enemy, their enemies, his enemies. They would destroy him if given the chance. He had to learn to fight them, to protect himself, and his master. Once the video froze and faded into the blackness, the visor helmet covering the creature's head was removed and he found himself staring at his master.

"You will be performing a small act tomorrow night," his master said as the man stepped into the light of the small room.

A male, dressed in a black suit, with sunglasses on and a short haircut stepped towards his latest invention, "Very good," he mused in his head, "This one is growing, learning and thriving."

As the subject was knocked unconscious with sedatives, the man, known as Bishop, turned to the other three tubes in his lab. If he had had more emotion, perhaps he would've frowned but he only scowled. The DNA he had collected from those turtles from that battle with them so long ago had lead to cloning experiments. Unfortunately, cloning wasn't perfected as of yet. He pushed his scientists to the brink of their knowledge and beyond. He had taken all of that DNA and cloned them. Since DNA made a mistake once every 26 times, the clones were not perfect, some genes were left to chance while others matched their original perfectly. But as was recently said, cloning wasn't perfect. Donatello's clone was the first to perish. The growth of his brain was too rapid, causing bleeding before the clone could even develop a skeleton. Raphael's was next, his muscles grew too large when they began forming, the pressure on his heart was too much, it was crushed internally. Michelangelo's was the last to fail, his heart had been too small and had given out when the body needed it to start pumping blood.

Leonardo's was the only one to survive this long. It had grown rapidly thanks to the chemicals and enzymes being injected into it's body. Only, Leonardo's DNA had been the most difficult to work with. It had been full of holes and had to be repaired with the DNA of his brothers. Donatello's allele for yellowish olive-green skin became co-dominant with Leonardo's original allele for a shade of basic green, resulting in a pale, light green shade of skin on the clone. The muscle build-up had come from Raphael, causing the clone to become larger than even the eldest of the turtle team. Everything else was either so little that Bishop didn't care to keep an eye on it or didn't affect the clone's physical appearance.

"Sleep well," Bishop said as the turtle was slipped into the tube of red liquid once again, a breathing mask covering his face as the tube was sealed off.

It seemed that soon, the turtles would meet their match.

* * *

"Don, what is it?" Raph asked as the TMNT gathered around their genius brother who was typing away at one of his computers.

"Someone or something," Don said, "Activated a perimeter alarm in the 3rd west tunnel."

"Can you get a visual?" Leo asked.

"Maybe," Don murmured, "There!" he said, pointing at a figure in the shadows, "It seems to be looking for something."

"Is this another Foot trick?" Raph asked with a sneer.

"I doubt it," Leo said, "Even Foot ninja aren't that stealthy," he explained as the figure stepped silently over loose stones, water and random debris.

"The Elite maybe? They're better than the average Foot ninjas," Mikey suggested.

"Why would there only be one then?" Don asked the air, since he knew he wouldn't get a probable explanation from any of his brothers, "And why be this deep into the sewer system?"

"Well I say we go after him," Raph said, "I ain't paid them back yet for what they did."

Raph stared strait ahead, his mind traveling back to a certain night. Unconsciously, his hands started to shake as he grinded his teeth together. A hand on his shoulder broke him out of the trance. His eyes flew to the side and met the gaze of his worried older brother.

"You ok?" Leo asked.

"I'm fine Fearless," Raph said, shrugging off the hand.

Don shook his head, after Leo's ambush Raph's over protectiveness of Leo multiplied nearly ten-fold. Then, his attention was quickly diverted back to the screen when he saw a yellow flash.

"What was that?" Mikey asked, which one of their enemies wore yellow?

"Ok, definitely not the Elite," Don muttered before switching to a different camera.

Raph sighed in annoyance but let his shoulders drop in silent relief. If those Foot Elite assassins even thought of hurting Leo again he was going to behead all of them, end of story!

* * *

He kept going, his feet splashing in the water.

"That's far enough," his master said into the headset he was wearing, "Make your way back but don't backtrack, we can't have those mutants finding us."

"Yes Master," he replied obediently and chose a new path to travel by, eventually finding his way back to Bishop's lab.

"Ah excellent," Bishop said as his eyes flashed against the light.

The turtle clone stood before him as stout as any ninja. Bishop smiled and turned to an empty tube full of purple liquid. So he had to _invite _a _few _nin-jutsu specialists and _borrow _a bit of their minds to make the warrior before him possible, but with that chip on his head, Bishop was in control.

Of course, that's what the human thought. As the turtle was locked inside his new cell for the night he frowned and set his mind to work. Although much of his DNA was mixed with these turtles he knew, he had a bit of this Donatello's intelligence. He was a turtle as well, a mutant turtle. One important detail Bishop overlooked was the decision making part of his brain. Although his mind was a jumble of all those turtle's minds, his ethical reasoning was all four of them. His thoughts of what was right and what was wrong affected every action he took. He knew one thing at this point, he didn't like being confined in such a small area. The outside air was delicious and he wanted freedom. He never voiced this, for his master would use the power he had over him. He had to wait until the opportune moment to remove the device so he could be free.

He sat in one corner of the room and drew out the large sword he had been given by one of the nin-jutsu experts that his master had invited. The blade was one inch thick, four inches in width, gleamed beautifully in the moonlight when he went out on missions and was double the length of a normal katana. Very lately his master had him running through the sewers of New York City but he was still in the dark about his plan to destroy these turtles he despised. The small part of him that still felt like a child had a sneaky suspicion that when his master no longer needed him, he would be killed as well. He had been out at night but the words of, day, sunlight, shade and ice cream came to mind when he wondered what came after the dark sky.

"Shade," he whispered in a deep voice, recalling these day words.

He recalled letters within his built-up mind and drew them in the air with his sword. He pretended to wipe away the first letter, leaving _hade_. The words, experimentation and imagination came to his mind, although he wasn't sure why. He mentally began replacing the first letter, until he came up with something he decided he liked.

_Thade._

Smiling, he sheathed his sword before removing the sword, sheath and sword strap, laying them beside him while he leaned against the cell's concrete wall. He quieted his mind and fell asleep to the silence surrounding him.

* * *

"What are they doing?" Mikey asked as three of the turtles gathered around Don's computer where he was replaying the videos of their latest guest in the sewers.

"I'm not sure, but they've managed to stay in the shadows all this time," Don said, using different programs to try to pull more from the videos and images, "All we've seen is a flash of yellow. All in all, it's unusual."

"Why are they here?" Leo asked out loud, "What's their purpose?"

"Maybe it's to tick off Raph," Mikey said, pointing to their hotheaded brother across the room, who was pounding away on his punching bag quite intensely, "If it is, they're doing a great job."

Don groaned, "No matter what I try I can't pull more than two simple facts from all these videos and pictures, whoever they are, they're a great ninja and wear yellow."

The purple masked turtle sighed and rested his tired head on his hand.

"Maybe you should get some rest Don, this has had you worked up ever since that figure has appeared in the sewers," Leo said, "In fact, you and Raph's worry has increased lately. You two are running yourselves ragged. You barely sleep, you both barely eat and Raph's managed to bust his punching bag 15 times in one day. Sorry, but you two are worrying me greatly."

Don sighed again, "Sorry Leo, it's just…well…"

"Go on," Leo encouraged as Mikey crossed the room, more than likely to annoy Raph.

Don turned around in his computer chair, "Well, this just makes me think of the last time there were Foot ninja in the sewers, and we all know what **that **lead to."

"Hey, I woke up," Leo insisted.

"It was over 200 miles Leo, and you wouldn't wake up."

Leo frowned at the look of pain on his younger brother's face and set a hand on Don's shoulder, "But all of you woke me up and if I remember correctly, it was you I heard first."

Don smiled softly, but the moment was broken by Mikey screaming, "HELP!"

"GET BACK HERE MIKEY!" Raph yelled, running after his youngest brother, the reason probably being the remains of a cake all over him.

"THAT WAS SOOOO WORTH THE TWO HOURS OF COOKING!" Mikey shouted as he ran past Don and Leo, who both stepped back to avoid being run over by Raph.

The level headed turtles shared a smile and then shook their heads as they heard their red masked brother finally catch Mikey.

"Excuse me, I have to keep Raph from killing Mikey," Leo said as he headed towards the screams of terror.

Don smiled in humor as he watched Leo pull Raph away from pounding their youngest brother. Then, Leo herded Raph into the dojo.

* * *

The most intelligent of the turtles sighed and turned back to his computer, once again going over the videos. His mind though, was still on the past. It was a simple outline really.

The Shredder sent an army of Foot ninja into the sewers.

The turtles hid out at their friend April's.

Leo went out on a training run one morning.

Leo was gone for hours, alone.

He came crashing in through the window that night.

He had been ambushed, and beaten.

A coma, was the result.

Don sighed again as his memory went on. After all, it wasn't Leo's only coma. Then they learned of the BattleNexus. The three youngest pressured Leo into going against their sensei's orders and followed him to the BattleNexus. When they arrived in the BattleNexus they were thrown into combat. Their opponents seemed impossible to defeat, but Leo figured out how to defeat them, at the cost of his katanas, once again. Then, they found their sensei only for the eldest to receive the classic, 'I'm very disappointed in you' speech from Splinter. Next thing, Leo stayed behind at the Pavilion of Past Champions, only to be ambushed.

Don frowned. If anything, that should've set off warning bells to them all. After all, it was only a few months before that he had been ambushed and almost died because of it.

"How could I have been so stupid?" Don thought as he glanced towards the TV as his younger brother turned on a video game.

Sounds of slicing metal came from the dojo, so Leo and Raph were probably sparring. Only this time, there were no harsh words being thrown. Of course, if Raph had the same thoughts as the purple masked genius then he doubted Raph would lose his temper any time soon.

Don turned towards the computer screen and used another program to enlighten the picture and video. When that failed, he kept trying different programs while his mind continued in it's previous thoughts.

After this ambush, that no one paid attention to, they were in the tournament and shamefully, Don had been the first turtle eliminated. He saw Leo battling Usagi and thought that their duel would never be over, the ninja turtle and samurai rabbit seemed matched in skill, speed and strength. Then, everything came to a grinding halt when Leo stumbled, dropped his repaired katanas and fell. Don's instant assumption was that the rabbit warrior had done something to Leo, so he jumped back into the arena with little regard to rules, spectators or anything. Usagi had been helping Leo up, but for all Don knew, he would hurt Leo further. He could still remember his first words to the rabbit, while the samurai helped Leo to his feet.

"_Very well, but I suggest you allow me to accompany him to the Healer's Pavilion," Usagi said._

"_And I suggest you get your hands off my brother!" Don yelled, his bo staff in his hands and ready to tear anything limb from limb if it got in his way of reaching his brother._

Don took his hands from the keyboard and just stared at the wood of the desk.

"Poison," he muttered.

"And a second coma," he mentally reminded himself.

He felt a slight feeling of rage building under his skin at the thoughts. Two comas! His 15 year old brother, only truly older by a few months, had been in two comas. How many people fell into two comas by the age of 15? More importantly, how many managed to get through them and remain alive? Don didn't need to look it up to know the odds, were nearly impossible.

Of course, his eldest brother was Hamato, Leonardo.

"That's an explanation in itself," he thought as he reached up and turned off the computer.

He decided to maybe grab a book, it was obvious he couldn't focus on his work here or any of his inventions. He chose a book at random from a bookshelf by his computer and sat down next to Mikey who was playing something that had to do with expelling fire from the character's hand. Soon he was engrossed in the book and he momentarily forgot the world around him until Mikey pulled him out of it.

"Donny, the dojo got quiet," he said, pausing his game, "Do you think they killed one another?"

"I highly doubt it Mikey," Don said, going back to reading.

Sometimes they sparred for awhile, then it got quiet. It just happened sometimes. Maybe they talked.

Don mentally laughed, those two didn't talk about anything they fought.

* * *

"Excellently preformed Raphael," Leo said with a smile as his immediate younger brother leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths.

"It's been awhile since I've heard anything like that from you," Raph said with narrowed eyes aimed at his older brother.

"You really are getting better though," Leo said with apologetic eyes.

Raph sighed, "Why do I have to do all this anyways?"

Leo opened his mouth to speak-

"Don't answer that," Raph said quickly, knowing he would get the 'speech' again.

He honestly thought that that certain speech would end after their sensei's passing a year ago. That was a year he would rather not relive under any circumstances. The thoughts of the past year flooded his mind but Raph pushed them harshly away.

Leo smiled and motioned for Raphael to join him in the meditation area. Normally, Raph would groan and complain like his usual self, but the way things had been changing, they had all changed as well. Leo became a little less bossy, Raph a little more patient, Don a little less isolated and Mikey a little bit more mature. Raph frowned at the last one and decided to reconstruct it. Mikey wasn't as annoying as he had been, but he was still annoying, the throwing of a cake on Raph's face about an hour ago was the proof. Once both turtles were settled within a ring of candles they began their meditation, their minds running through their memories. This was a time when they were both at peace. Oh yes, they still fought but found this one exercise, as an excuse to get along. Raph wondered for a moment what Mikey and Don thought when Leo herded him into the dojo and away from them like their sensei had done to Leo for many years. These special meetings and leadership training, Raph learned, were both similar and different to what he had imagined throughout the years.

Then, his mind traveled to why he was here in the first place. This new ninja in the sewers. Other ninja, had never been a good sign for them. Mentally, Raph listed them:

Foot ninja (Lead to too much trouble to think about)

Foot-tech ninja (Raph was captured by them plus they assisted in ambushing Leo)

Elite ninja (Injured Leo enough to kill him, also assisted in the ambush)

The Shredder himself (There wasn't a list long enough to write much less think of all the trouble he had caused them)

The Ultimate ninja (Let's see, he tried to kill Leo, he would've decapitated him with his swords, almost pushed him off a speeding truck, knocked him off of a bridge, tried to kill them all when he and Leo's fight was over, poisoned Leo, wanted to continually kill him for all time.)

Need the red masked turtle go on? Plain and simple. Ninja-never a good sign and Raph didn't like this new one any more than any of the previous ones.

"That's enough for now," Leo said through the haze between their minds.

Raph opened his eyes and got to his feet as did Leo and looked at the clock they had hanging on the wall. Wow, two hours and Raph had to admit, he felt a little less angry, not that he wasn't still angry.

"Feeling better?" Leo asked.

"About this new ninja? No. About Mikey's prank this morning? A bit."

"Well, it's progress," Leo said with a shrug, "Now don't forget about your session later tonight."

Raph sighed and Leo frowned, was he pushing his younger brother too hard?

"Sorry Raph, you don't have to get used to everything at once."

"I know, I still don't get why you chose me though. Donny would be a better option."

"In the area of intelligence, yes, Donny would be the ideal choice, but you're older, more highly skilled in nin-jutsu, more protective and just possess more qualities of a good leader than he does. Must I remind you that because of my leadership position, one day I might have to-"

"Put yourself between us and danger, and that because of that it could lead to your death, therefore the team would need someone to step up as the new leader and head of the family," Raph finished with a sigh, "I thought Master Splinter lectured that to us enough. Makes me wonder how many times he preached it to you."

"Almost daily," Leo muttered.

Raph sighed again and rubbed his aching neck, the muscles tight and uncomfortable.

"Another sparring session?" Leo asked with a smile.

Raph popped his neck and withdrew his sais, "Bring it on!"

They both smiled and leapt forward, their metal weapons clanking when they met and the friction causing a few sparks.

"Well," Raph said with a smirk, "If we're ever lost in the wilderness, we'll be able to start a fire."

Leo smiled and chuckled a bit before jumping back and avoiding the incoming sai aimed for his shoulder.

* * *

Ok, I haven't been seen for awhile, I know. CURSE WRITER'S BLOCK! And we've had a lot of storms over here that's been knocking out the electricity too, so…

Anyways, any thoughts on my OC?

I'm guessing that a lot of people predicted I would do the whole, create a female turtle/mutant/human and write a love story.

OH NO! I avoid romance in my life for a reason, both in reality and in my writing. No one can seem to make a movie anymore without a major romantic relationship in it, or even write a book without it. What happened to the days where violent cartoons were all we needed?

Oh well, I'm aiming for about 8 chapters maybe in this story. So make sure to tell me what you think. And if it somehow isn't clear, I'll speak this plainly. My OC is a male turtle named Thade, created from the turtles' DNA by Bishop, who he serves, at least he serves him for now. Thade uses a long single sword, is larger and technically older than the other four turtles, and wears a yellow mask.

Everyone got it?

Ok, in the next chapter:

"LEO! LOOK OUT!" Raph shouted, ready to rush forward to help his brother, but then the beam from above fell between them, the fire covering everything.

"LEO NO!" the younger turtle shouted.

"Raph we need to go, this place is going to explode!" Don said frantically as he and Mikey moved towards the exit.

"I'm not leaving without Leo!"

On the other side of the fire, Thade coughed and pushed aside the flaming boards that had covered him as a voice carried out over the smoke.

"LEO! WHERE ARE YOU! LEO!"

Thade took one step and a small moan escaped the pile of debris beneath him. He dropped down beside it and pulled at a grassy green form among the ash and broken wood. As the being was pulled into a full view, Thade felt a slight stinging on his skull. He reached up and brushed at the irritation, not noticing the computer chip falling onto the floor. When the smoke cleared momentarily the yellow masked swordsman glanced down at the sight of blue. The other turtle's eyes did not open and Thade's first thought shocked him stiff, as his turtle instincts came to mind. They were the same.

"My brother…"

Review please? I'd like throw a huge party for everyone if I could. ^_^ And yes, I now will be adding previews of upcoming chapters to the end of posted chapters.

~Moonsetta


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone! Guess what? It's an update! YAY! Aren't you proud of me?

Anyways I've taken care of the writer's block. I just have a lot to catch up on so I hope people can just hang on for a little while longer.

I don't own TMNT.

* * *

"Listen carefully," Bishop spoke through a microphone as a video feed from an old warehouse aimed towards a pile of crates in a corner, "Set the silent alarm and then light the wooden crates on the furthest wall, I'll be disabling all the other cameras in ten seconds, prepare yourself.'

"This isn't right," Thade thought as he made his way to the back wall but he couldn't not do it, he was being watched after all.

"Good, proceed," Bishop ordered.

Thade obediently lifted the top of nearest crate and glanced at what was inside. Textbooks. These would've gone to a school.

"What are you waiting for?" Bishop yelled.

"Master, must we-"

Thade grew quiet as his eyesight grew black, oh great so Bishop had decided to use the chip already. Without his own conscious decision he pulled out a lighter from a bag he was carrying and lit the text books on fire before jumping to another crate and doing the same to the books stored in there also throwing chemical explosives into the crates to cause the fire to become hot enough to melt metal. Before anyone knew it, the building was blazing and the yellow banded turtle waited, quite unwillingly inside, surrounded by the flaming debris.

* * *

"Hey Mikey! Why'd you stop?" Raph said after straitening his vision that had been clouded by running into Mikey.

"Do you guys smell that?"

"Smells likes paper and ink burning," Don commented.

"Isn't there a warehouse near here?" Leo asked his purple masked younger brother.

"There's one that holds books for the public library and some textbooks for schools."

"I hope no one is trapped inside," Leo commented.

Just then, a scream rang out, joining the sound of incoming sirens.

"She's still in there!"

"There go your hopes," Raph said.

"All right, let's go, but be careful," Leo said, leading his brothers across the rooftops.

* * *

Having no control over his body, Thade could only watch as burning ruble fell against the one human he had found working in the back of the warehouse. He had been quite himself when tying her up with rope, he would release her if he could, but the computer chip was controlling him. How his master managed this he wasn't sure but he believed it had something to do with miniscule shocks of electricity on his brain.

"They're arriving," Bishop said, "Get into position."

Thade nodded, though he didn't want to. He jumped up, his hands catching the overhanging metal supports welded to the ceiling. This placed him perfectly above the one window that didn't have fire surrounding it. This was the only true safe entrance and **they **would come in.

"But why should I attack beings so similar to myself?" Thade thought as he saw shadows moving closer to the window from a few rooftops away, "They have done me no harm."

He didn't dare voice these thoughts, his body was already under Bishop's control. He waited and in no time at all , four figures crashed through the window, heading right towards the sounds of struggling. He crept along the metal beams until he was directly over the four turtles who were untying the blonde haired woman, who was trying to scream but was not getting past the gag in her mouth. Once removed though, her voice might as well of been a siren, the red masked turtle clamped his eyes shut but swung her towards the open window.

"Go!" he shouted and the woman scrambled out.

"We better get out of here," the bo staff wielding turtle said, glancing over at the still flaming textbooks as he frowned, "These books were supposed to go to schools and the library."

"One thing I hate, is when people mess with kids," the red masked one spat.

Unable to stop his body's movements, Thade unsheathed his sword, the metal glinting in the light from all the flames, and made his choice of which turtle. That hotheaded one didn't seem to be paying attention. He felt this was so wrong to attack them, but his master didn't give him a choice. He took aim and leapt from the steel beam.

* * *

"Why would someone destroy all these books?" Don said sadly.

"Maybe he has a grudge against the owner," Raph said.

"Well dudes, come on, let's go grab a pizza before we head home!" Mikey shouted.

"Alright we'll-" Leo stopped as his gaze flew upwards, "RAPH LOOK OUT!"

The eldest darted forward, tackling his younger brother as a figure landed and then jumped back up onto the metal support beams.

"LEO! RAPH!" Mikey and Don yelled as they rushed to their brothers' sides.

"Are you guys ok?" Don asked and then gasped as he saw a deep gash on Leo's arm.

"Who the shell was that?" Mikey asked, glancing up, his eyes widening, "Donny look out!"

He dove forward, knocking his immediate older brother out of the way of an incoming blade, receiving a shallow scrape on his shoulder.

"Who's there!" Raph shouted, jumping to his feet and taking out his sais.

No one hurts his brothers, especially not his only older brother or his baby brother!

* * *

Outside an officer turned to the owner of the warehouse, "I'm sorry sir but the building has to come down or the fire will spread to the others when it collapses outward. The city will refund you for the facility and the goods inside as long as you have the records."

"Go ahead, I can't stand to lose any more money," the man said as his clean suit stood out among the black ash covered firemen and officers.

"Set the explosives!" the officer ordered, "We can't allow that fire to spread!"

* * *

While Don was tending to Mikey's and Leo's wounds Raph was glaring into the surrounding flames.

"We are inside a flaming building," Mikey said, "May be we should like, get out first."

Before any other turtle could add anything an explosion shook the surrounding structure causing flaming panels to fall from the walls and ceiling which the turtles had to dodge to avoid being burned, spreading them out. Raph barely got out of one of the flaming panel's path when he saw a shadow out of the corner of his eye and…

…a flash of yellow.

Of course he couldn't muse on this for long for the fire had melted the metal support beams causing them to come tumbling down and one was heading strait for his older brother.

"LEO! LOOK OUT!" Raph shouted, ready to rush forward to help his brother, but then the beam from above fell between them, the fire covering everything.

"LEO NO!" the younger turtle shouted.

"Raph we need to go, this place is going to explode!" Don said frantically as he and Mikey moved towards the exit.

"I'm not leaving without Leo!"

On the other side of the fire, Thade coughed and pushed aside the flaming boards that had covered him as a voice carried out over the smoke.

"LEO! WHERE ARE YOU! LEO!"

Thade took one step and a small moan escaped the pile of debris beneath him. He dropped down beside it and pulled at a grassy green form among the ash and broken wood. As the being was pulled into a full view, Thade felt a slight stinging on his skull. He reached up and brushed at the irritation, not noticing the computer chip falling onto the floor. When the smoke cleared momentarily the yellow masked swordsman glanced down at the sight of blue. The other turtle's eyes did not open and Thade's first thought shocked him stiff, as his turtle instincts came to mind. They were the same.

"My brother…"

His resolve hardened, he sheathed his bloody sword and reached for the other turtle. No matter what he could not let this young one perish amidst the flames

The yell rang out again, "LEO!"

"Leo," Thade mused glancing down at the younger turtle as he picked him up in his arms.

"LEO! WHERE ARE YOU! LEO!"

"Hmm, that other turtle is greatly worried about this one," Thade thought dodging another plummeting half melted support beam while trying to see his way through the flaming, and ash covered debris.

"LEO!"

Thade closed his eyes and let his hearing take over the waves from the other's voice bouncing around the collapsing crates and falling metal beams.

"Raph we have to leave now!" another voice shouted.

"But Leo's-"

"We'll have to come back! There's nothing we can do!"

Thade jumped back to dodge a melted panel and then looked down as the blue masked turtle started to fight his way back to consciousness. The smaller turtle's eyes parted for a few long seconds, staring up into the unusual masked face. Before either could utter a word though, another explosion shook the building causing fire lit debris to surround them.

"Hang on," Thade whispered, and held Leo tighter, searching frantically for an exit.

The sudden falling in of the ceiling gave him his escape route. He dodged the plummeting part of the ceiling and then, careful to only touch non inflamed surfaces he jumped his way to the rooftop where he jumped down on the side and without a glance back he raced off into the city. He had to get this younger turtle somewhere safe.

* * *

Raph, Don and Mikey could only watch in despair as the building collapsed in on itself from a few rooftops away, their older brother still inside.

* * *

Leo groaned at the feeling of a slight weight on his head as he fought to open his eyes.

"Shh, you'll be ok," a voice said, it kind of sounded like Raph but the voice was deeper and had an analytical edge to it, like Don's voice.

Something cool was placed on his forehead and finally he forced his eyes to open although they felt like they had been welded shut. A bright light glared back at him and he squinted.

"Oh sorry," that voice said again, and then the light was gone and Leo could clearly see a small amount of light reflected on the white ceiling.

Although his body was stiff he attempted to raise himself up, placing his hands down on a rickety bed beneath him. The air around him seemed too thick and too hot.

"Sorry about the heat," the voice said again but Leo had to close his eyes as he tried to sit up since his muscles were protesting the movement, any movement at all actually so he couldn't see who was talking.

Leo knew he wasn't in the lair, back home with his family because he'd be laying on a cold metal or plastic cot in Don's lab, and he certainly hadn't been captured by the Foot because he'd either be dead or chained to a wall. If it was anyone like Bishop he'd be strapped to a dissection table with his chest already cut open. None of them would put him in a bed. So who was it? How did he even get out of the fire?

"Oh, sorry," the voice said as warm hands touched his arms, "Let me help you. Try not to move too much, that's a bad wound on your shell."

The Leo froze as he realized the hand on his arm was three-fingered. The only people he knew with three fingers were him, his brothers and Leatherhead, their mutant crocodile friend. But the hand was much too small to be Leatherhead's. Then who?

Leo finally managed to raise his head and glance at the being before him. If it had been completely dark who would've guessed it to be Raphael or Donatello. The onyx eyes he and his family all shared stared back at him and a bright splash of yellow surrounded the gaze.

"Yellow?" Leo thought, "The intruder in the sewer!"

"Are you ok?" the larger turtle asked, with a deep voice that sounded so much like Raph's but a soft angle of care that Don spoke with when he was treating their wounds after battle.

"Y-ye-yes," Leo murmured.

The other turtle smiled, "My name's Thade, yours?"

"Leonardo," the blue clad turtle said, still staring at this being.

There was denying it, the bright light was gone but soft light, that Leo found were from candles set up around the room, revealed this larger being to be a mutant turtle just like him.

"Nice to meet you Leonardo," Thade said politely, "I'm glad we managed to get out of there before the building collapsed."

"Building collapsed?" Leo asked the empty air and the memory hit him.

The melting support beam falling from above, separating him from his family. His family! His brothers!

"My family, my brothers!" Leo shouted and tried to stand only to fall back when his muscles screamed in protest.

"Whoa, easy there," Thade soothed pushing Leo back down on the bed when the stubborn turtle tried to get up again, "Don't worry, I saw them slip out before I got you out of there. They weren't hurt."

"Where are they?"

"I'm not sure," Thade said, noticing when Leo's eyes narrowed a bit, no doubt from a headache.

The yellow masked turtle turned towards an old abandoned small cardboard box beside the bed where a bowl of cool water stood with a small towel within it. Thade rung it out before folding it up and laying it over Leo's forehead.

"Is there anyway I can contact them?" Thade asked.

"Shell-cell," Leo muttered, reaching into his belt and pulling out the phone, "There's a tracker inside, they should find me soon, but I should call."

"I'll call and tell them you're ok, you should get some rest," Thade said, pulling a blanket up and over Leo.

Leo looked too tired too argue but he said, "Left gray button, phone book, Donatello, green button calls."

"Got it," Thade said with a smile as Leo yawned and laid back on the flat pillow, closing his eyes and falling asleep. The yellow clad turtle smiled and then ducked outside, standing on a ledge outside the open window. He glanced over the falling apart side of the city and frowned, this place would make a great park. Nothing but tumbling buildings and old construction equipment. He knew the chip was gone now. His so called master didn't have control of him anymore.

"Focus Thade," he thought and opened the shell-cell, doing as he had been instructed, going to the phone book and finding the name Donatello. He pressed the only green button hearing the phone ringing on the other end, he also noticed there was a camera, so it seems Leonardo's brothers would have view of him if the camera was facing his way. Well, they might not be too friendly since he had their brother so he ducked back inside the abandoned apartment building, shut the window and blew out the candles, engulfing the room in complete darkness.

* * *

Underneath the city streets two mutant turtles sat impatiently as the third tech turtle was typing in something on his computer, "Don't worry guys," Don said, "I should have his signal in a matter of minutes."

"What if there is no signal?" Mikey asked fearfully, "You saw the building collapse, what if he's-'

"He ain't dead Mikey," Raph said.

"How do you know?" Don cut in.

"I know because he's not allowed to be dead," Raph answered.

"Says who?" Mikey asked.

"Says me!" Raph shouted.

"Oh no," Don muttered, "The shell-cell must have been destroyed, I can't get a signal!"

Before anyone could say anything Don's shell-cell started ringing. They all stared at one another and then after a few seconds of silence, excluding the shell-cell ringing, Don fished it out of his belt and looked at the caller ID he had programmed into it.

He gulped, "It's Leo."

"Then what the shell are you waiting for? Answer it!" Raph ordered.

Don flipped it open and looked at the screen but he couldn't see a thing via the camera, "Hello?" He asked quietly.

He thought he saw a shape move in the dark and he spoke up again, looking closer at the screen trying to draw the shape of the moving object in his mind, "Leo?"

Mikey and Raph moved closer and listened, their eyes searching the dark screen for the shape of their eldest brother.

"Donatello?" a voice asked.

"Wait you're not Leo," Don said as he glared, "Where is he? Why do you have his shell-cell?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!" Raph shouted his hands clenching into fists.

"Your brother is sleeping please be silent," the voice said calmly, "He has a few injuries but I've treated them and-"

"WHERE IS HE!" Raph shouted grabbing the phone and glaring at the black screen.

"I'll tell you and you can come pick him up, I need to be going soon anyways."

"I want to see him!" Mikey shouted grabbing the phone from Raph's hands.

Don flinched, something told him he wouldn't have a shell-cell by the end of this conversation.

"Alright," the voice said patiently.

* * *

Back in the apartment Thade found the lighter he had used previously and lit a single candle by the bowl of cool water beside the bed. When the flame grew it illuminated enough of the room so Thade turned the camera lens towards Leo, the other three turtles' voice screaming out his name. Thade quickly told Leonardo's family their location and then sighed when they immediately hung up. Well, it was time he left. He blew out the candle and opened the dusty shades on the window, letting some light stream in. It seemed the sun was about an hour from rising. Well better time then never to get moving. When he slid open the window he remembered he still had Leo's shell-cell so he walked back to the sleeping turtle and placed it on the cardboard box by the bed he had been using for a table. He almost turned and jumped out the window when a voice spoke up.

"Thade?"

"Yes Leonardo?" Thade asked, kneeling by the injured turtle's side, "Are you in pain?"

"A little but, where are you going?" Leo asked managing to raise himself onto his elbows.

"Your brothers are on their way here to get you, I have to go now. I feel they will not be too happy to see me considering I stole their brother. Those brothers of yours seemed very protective."

"Yeah, well," Leo said, glancing at the single lit taper, "They're anything if not loyal."

Thade smiled, "I should get going then," he said standing up and turning towards the window.

"Wait!" Leo protested, "You don't have to leave, you can come back to the lair with us. We've never known that there was another one like us here in New York."

Thade turned back to Leo and rubbed his head affectionately, "Maybe I'll catch up to you later, but right now I have something I have to do."

"But," Leo weakly protested before Thade pushed him back down, "Go to sleep they'll be here for you shortly," he said, "There's someone I have to find first but I'll see you soon. Promise."

The blue clad turtle nodded letting his eyes close once more. Before Thade left he reached down and retrieved the fallen towel, soaking it in the bowl of cool water once again before draping it over the smaller turtle's face once again.

"Sleep tight Leonardo," he whispered.

"Call me Leo," the grassy green skinned turtle said in his half conscious state.

"Ok, Leo. I'll see you soon," Thade said.

"Wait," Leo said, "Take the shell-cell. We'll stay in contact."

Thade picked up the phone and smiled, tucking it into the black leather belt he wore he felt his resolve hardening, he could call these other turtles back when he was finished with his mission, "Thanks Leo," he said turning towards the window and slipping outside into the pre-dawn air. As he jumped across rooftops he glanced down as a single vehicle ran down the abandoned street. It looked like some kind of armored military vehicle. He shook his head and continued on. He had to find his, he sneered…master.

He had to have his revenge.

For a second he thought of beyond that, these other turtles. Would they take him in? Welcome him into their family? He shook his head.

"Focus on your mission," he thought, "Locate and eliminate the man known as Bishop."

* * *

Raph took the old creaking stairs five at a time, "Which apartment was it!" he shouted down a few floors at his immediate younger brother.

"He said level 18, apartment 189!"

Raph sped up and finally reached the floor. He was breathing a bit heavily but he didn't care he had to find Leo! He stopped at the door marked 189 and threw open the door as he heard the pants and rushed footsteps of his younger brothers finally reaching the staircase that would lead them to the 18th floor. Seeing Leo laying in a bed, unmoving scared Raph stiff. He ran over and threw the blanket only to hear Leo sigh and finally Raph allowed his heart to rest. He kneeled down by Leo's side, noticing that his wounds had been bandaged, that Leo was sleeping peacefully, a small towel that was still damp placed over his forehead and a bowl of still slightly cool water on an old cardboard box beside the bed.

"Leo?" he asked, shaking Leo's shoulder gently.

Leo clamped his eyes shut tightly and that seemed to loosen his eyelids a bit so after two seconds he finally opened his eyes. Raph let out another sigh of relief and reached out to help his older brother sit up, "You ok bro?" Raph asked, his natural drive to protect overwhelming the scene.

"Yeah, thanks for coming," Leo whispered since he was having difficulty breathing because of the injury to his shell.

"What's wrong?" Raph asked the younger turtle's rushing footsteps reached the end of the hallway.

"Raph!" Don called out.

"In here!" Raph shouted back, knowing they could follow his voice to the room. He momentarily noticed that the old door to the room was falling off of its hinges.

Raph turned his attention back to his older brother, "Leo what happened?"

"You guys wouldn't believe but," Leo paused as Mikey and Don tore inside the room, "LEO!"

The two youngest didn't give Leo a chance to continue, Don was suddenly playing 20 questions with Leo.

"Do you feel pain anywhere? Are they any other injuries than the ones already wrapped? How did you get out of the fire? Who was is that had your shell-cell? Do you feel nauseous? Are you dizzy? Does your head hurt? Do you have any internal pain? Did you lose a lot of blood? How much blood? Do you have any head injuries? Are you ok?"

"Um," Leo mused, "In order, yes, yes, someone saved me, the one that saved me, no, kind of, sort of, definitely, no, not much, I'm not sure, I don't think so and I've been worse."

Don sighed in relief and then slumped down on his knees, "Ok but I want to check to make sure."

Once Don was finished he stood back up leaving Leo free to be a teddy bear for Mikey.

"We thought we lost you," Mikey said as he tucked his hand under Leo's chin, snuggling into him as Leo's arm encircled him.

"You didn't," Leo assured his youngest brother, embracing him tightly.

"Don't scare us like that," Raph said with a glare, sitting on the edge of the bed and reaching out a hand to rest on Leo's head, knocking the damp towel to the floor, "Remember you can't die, you're not allowed to."

They both shared a smile until Don cleared his throat, "We should get Leo back home, I think that crack on your shell isn't anything serious but I'd like to have a closer look to be safe," he explained.

Mikey pulled away from his eldest brother and stood up, Raph following.

"Can you walk?" Raph asked.

Leo attempted to get to his feet only to stumble while trying to take his first step, luckily he had three sets of arms willing to catch him.

"I'll help Leo," Raph said, "You two go get the BattleShell ready."

The youngest brothers nodded and walked out, kind of hesitant to let their injured brother out of their sight.

"Go on," Raph ordered, "We'll be right behind you,"

This time they obeyed and went outside, Mikey started the BattleShell while Don pulled out the little medical equipment he had stored inside. They heard the tumbling of a small stone and looked back at the doorway, that lacked the actual door, and expected to see their older brothers walking out.

...

...

...

...

...

Instead, the ground began trembling beneath their feet.

* * *

Ok that's chapter 2. Stay tuned!

...

Preview for chapter 3:

"What was that all about?" Raph asked Leo with a glare.

"I'm not sure," Leo said, staring back at the kitchen, "It was like, for just a minute, I had an older brother."

Leo smiled and hummed a random tune as he walked towards the dojo. Thade walked out of the kitchen and stepped back when he met Raph's glare. The red clad turtle walked up to him, pulling one of his sais from his belt and pointing it the larger turtle, "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from Leo."

"What do you have against me?" Thade asked with a raised eye ridge.

"I saw you in that warehouse, _Thade. _If that is your real name. I don't trust you so if you don't want to get hurt you'll stay away from Leo."

"Aw, jealous aren't you?" Thade said with a smirk.

"Jealous? How about I wipe that smug look off your face!" Raph shouted pulling out his other sai before charging forward.

Thade jumped back and unsheathed his sword, catching Raph's twin sai as he ran forward.

"Why fight with a farm tool?"

Raph growled and fought harder, letting his anger overcome him.

"Oh come on, sais were used to create furrows in the ground, not for fighting."

"You know I'm really getting ticked off!" Raph yelled dashing forwards, his sais raised to stab until two swords came between the weapons and forced both turtles back.

"Raphael the dojo!" Leo ordered.

Raph glared as his older brother stepped between them.

"Now!" Leo said sternly his eyes narrowed at Raph.

The red masked turtle caught some emotions in Leo's eyes, disappointment and disgust. That was a low hit, especially for Leo. The red clad turtle didn't have to show it though, so he turned and stalked into the dojo, a low growl escaping his throat.

...

Well, I can say at this point, don't think Thade is all sunshine and rainbows. Ok, does Thade get his revenge on Bishop? Is it all just a set up? Can he be trusted at all? And what happened to Bishop after he lost control of his mutant turtle clone?

Reviews please? I hope this story is getting somewhere.

~Moonsetta


	3. Chapter 3

Ok I know it took me forever to write and post chapter 2 of this story before, but that's because I was trying to finish two other stories at the same time, my oldest story, "Where's Leo?" and "My Own" Thankfully I'm done with "My Own" and "Where's Leo?" only has one chapter left.

This chapter is dedicated to DragonMasterOf10. She's an awesome artist and drew pictures for this story. They're now posted on DeviantART. Visit her or my profile for the links.

DragonMasterOf10, I'm so happy you did this for me. Unfortunately, all I can really offer you is this chapter . It's not really enough but I hope you and everyone enjoys this chapter. Thanks again! You rule!

I don't own TMNT.

* * *

"Who was it Leo?" Raph asked, laying Leo's arm across his shoulder before wrapping an arm around his shell.

"You wouldn't believe it Raphael but, it was-"

Before Leo could speak another word the building around them began to tremble.

"What the shell?" Raph shouted and glanced around quickly, they were on the 10th floor so they wouldn't make it out the door in time, but Raph spotted a broken window in one of the rooms.

"Hang on," Raph said, pulling Leo towards the window, "We're getting out of here."

The red masked turtle busted out what remained of the window, looking out and thanking whoever and whatever was watching over them, and jumped to the next rooftop, Leo managing to keep up. They both landed on the next stable rooftop and looked back as the building caved in, burying anything that remained inside. Suddenly though, Leo fell to his knees.

"Leo!" Raph gasped and kneeled next to him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Leo said, "I think that jump just shook my nervous system."

"Let's get you home," Raph said, helping his older brother up again and heading for the sound of their names in the distance.

* * *

Hours later the three younger turtles all sat around Don's lab as their eldest brother slept on a metal cot the genius had pulled out to examine his injuries further.

"So when's he gonna wake up?" Raph asked.

"He should wake up in a few hours," Don replied and then smiled as his younger brother, who was sleeping in a chair near Leo's side, murmured something about the Justice Force.

"Good, cause I want answers," Raph said, "He said someone got him out of the fire, but what human would do that?"

"Well maybe there's more people like April and Casey out there," Don suggested.

"But how likely is that?"

Don sighed, "You have a point."

"Oh and by the way Don, our little intruder in the sewers?"

"What about them?"

"Whoever it was," Raph said slowly, "Was in that burning warehouse."

Don frowned in confusion, "Ok first they're running around in our sewers and now they're burning books? What's next?"

"I'm not sure," Raph said, "But I don't like them."

"Now Raph we don't know anything about this ninja," Don protested, "We can't jump to conclusions."

"Hey I'm basing my judgment on previous experiences," Raph said, glancing over at his sleeping brothers, "Other ninja, have never meant anything good."

"Just because some ninja have-"

"Don, do you need a list?" Raph asked harshly, causing Mikey to twitch in his sleep before mumbling something about jellybean pancakes for breakfast and falling back asleep.

Don released a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding and turned his attention back to his eldest brother, checking over the few wounds he had, "I suppose not," Don said towards Raphael.

* * *

Thade scowled as he reached the headquarters he remembered Bishop creating him in. Of course, his scowl was because the area was long abandoned. Most of the technology and other experiments were gone, a few failed experiments lay on the cold, metal floor, lifeless. Aliens, other mutants and a strange variety of plant life.

The yellow masked swordsman sighed and walked through a large mountain of papers on the floor. They must have been dropped since the rest of Bishop's team was always in a rush to evacuate when they had to move somewhere new because they had been tracked. The light green turtle sheathed his sword that he had automatically drawn when he entered the building, and bent down to examine the papers. They looked like some genetic codes of some sort. He dropped the papers and glanced around, nothing but silence and fading lights to meet his gaze.

"Ah T-7651," said a voice.

Thade spun around and drew his sword, glaring at the figure that appeared in the doorway of the room. The closed off room, that is. That doorway was the only way out and his so called master was standing in it.

"I'm glad you've returned," Bishop said, smiling humorously.

"I'm no longer your slave!" Thade yelled and ran forward bringing his sword down to slice Bishop in half.

Then Bishop vanished.

Thade gasped and turned back to the room where Bishop was now standing by an old dead alien. Poor creature. This man was a murderer! The swordsman gritted his teeth and ran forward again but Bishop dodged every hit.

"Pathetic," Bishop sneered, "You've got much more you need to learn."

"You're the one that has to learn, you created me to kill those turtles, my own kind!"

"You're just a clone of them, you have no rights, you're just a slave to me."

Thade growled and shot forward one last time, his sword, going through Bishop. Surprised, Thade staggered backwards, "You're a hologram!"

Bishop laughed and then started to fade out, "Yes, oh and this place is about to go up in flames, but you had a good life."

The crude man disappeared and Thade swiftly turned to the doorway only to have a metal door come down, locking him inside.

"No," he whispered as the walls spontaneously combusted, "I have to get out of here."

He began coughing from the smoke and tried to lift and pry open the door but all his efforts were futile. He was trapped! He sheathed his sword and started looking for a vent but the one that was there had been blocked off like the doorway. He had to get out! He needed help. As he coughed and started to feel light headed he slumped against a non enflamed table and then his hand fell to the shellcell in his belt.

"Leo," he thought, "I can call him for help."

He wasn't sure whose name he highlighted and called since the smoke was clogging up the screen, but he tried to keep a pocket of air close enough so he could ask, more like beg for help.

* * *

"No way! Really?" Mikey asked.

Leo nodded with a small smile, "He really is just like us."

"Wow, but the possibilities of that are nearer to nothing than even our existence," Don said.

"Did he say how he became mutated?" Raph asked.

Leo shook his head, "I was kind of tired at the time, but I told him to take my shellcell so we could stay in contact."

"The tracker in it must have been damaged," Don mused, "But I'm glad it worked or we never would of found you."

"It might have been better if the building hadn't collapsed.," Mikey said.

"Yeah," Leo admitted, "Did anything else happen while I was gone for those few short hours?"

"We ran into a gang of Purple Dragons on our way back," Raph reported, this was something he was getting used to, although he never understood why Leo always told their sensei everything, he nonetheless found himself doing the same thing.

"Yeah, we might have been in trouble when they pulled out the machine gun-"

"Machine gun!" Leo yelled in shock.

"Calm down Leo," Raph said, putting his hands on Leo's shoulder so he wouldn't jump off the cot he was still laying on, "I snuck up on the gunman and knocked him out while Don dismantled the thing and Mikey held the other gang members back."

Leo sighed in relief and shot Raph a look of appreciation, one that said, "Good job, I'm proud of you."

Raph smiled back and then sighed with relief since he didn't have to deal with a stressed out Leo.

The eldest opened his mouth to ask another question but Don answered before he could even utter a word, "I completely dismantled the thing, the ammunition is stored away but I've kept the metal used in the design of just the gun itself, we can always use it for something."

"Any chance the Purple Dragons have more of them?" Leo asked.

"I don't know," Mikey said, "I don't think so, only that one guy had it and none of the others even had a gun, just chains, baseball bats, pipes, etc. All that 'gang' stuff."

Leo sighed, "Well I'm glad you're all alright."

"Bro, you worry too much," Mikey said with a smile as he leaned forward to give Leo a hug.

"Can't help it," Leo said, hugging back.

The next moment of silence was broken by the sound of Raph's shellcell ringing, "Uh bro, I think it's your friend," Raph said, tossing it to his older brother as Mikey pulled away from Leo.

Leo answered, "Hello? Thade?"

They all glanced into the camera when violent coughing reached the speakers, "Thade, are you there?" Leo asked.

"Leo," the coughing voice said, "Help," another round of coughs followed and a light green hand momentarily swiped away just enough smoke for the four brothers to catch the glimpse of a face and the next few words, "115 Mainstream."

More coughs followed and then the camera suddenly showed the floor and an unconscious mutant ninja turtle surrounded by smoke and flames.

"We have to help him!" Leo shouted and turned to give orders when a hand pushed him down on the bed and snatched back the shellcell, "You're staying bro," Raph said sternly, "Don gather up the medical supplies you might need, Mikey go get the BattleShell started and YOU," he said staring pointedly at Leo, "Are going to stay here and rest."

Mikey and Don scrambled to follow the 2nd in command's orders while they heard Leo protest in the background.

"You stay here, or I'll tie you to this thing and chain it to the wall!" Raph said.

"But," Leo weakly protested.

Raph put a worried hand on his shoulder, "Look we'll get him out of there but we need you to rest."

"But what if you guys get into trouble?" Leo asked, his worry still evident.

"I've got the supplies, come on!" Don shouted running for the elevator.

"Here," Raph said, handing Leo his shellcell, "We'll call if there's trouble, then you can play fearless leader ok?" Raph said with an amused smile as he ran for the door.

"Be careful!" Leo called after them.

"Most overused statement of the year bro," Raph thought, riding up the elevator with Donatello and rushing to the BattleShell when it was in sight.

* * *

"I'll hand it to Bishop," Mikey murmured while he knocked back a strange alien, "He sure knows how to leave a calling card."

The inflamed building was surrounded by strange aliens with full white eyes and apparently they were hungry for turtles. When Mikey turned to knock another one out he felt one approach him from behind and snatch him up in its pincer-like jaws.

"Let go of me you big bug!" the orange masked turtle shouted and hit it in the eyes with his nunchucks, "No eating the shell!"

It faltered in its step from the pain and released the turtle only to receive a neck-breaking hit from the orange wrapped twirling weapons.

"Only Bishop uses aliens," Mikey thought, "Does this mean that this other mutant turtle has a connection to the creep?"

* * *

Leo found himself sighing every five seconds so eventually it became deep breathing. He should be out there with them! No, he was told to stay and rest. Wait, since when did he start listening to Raphael?

He answered his own question, "Since you made him your second-in-command and successor."

The blue masked turtle growled and then got off the cot, only to start pacing.

"They'd kill me for getting up," Leo mumbled and smiled slightly.

He still had Raph's shellcell gripped tightly in his hands and his fingers were trembling to call, but no, he trusted Raph to lead them. The red masked turtle, although still quite hotheaded was a leader and Leo admitted that he often needed a break, but now…

Leo groaned and glanced down at the shellcell, the idea was so tempting, but if they were doing something, him calling could throw their concentration, causing someone to get hurt! He sighed and sat back down. After a few seconds of doing nothing but staring at the empty air, he took a very deep breath and forced himself to relax. Raph had lead them through that fight with the purple dragons and even faced a guy who had a machine gun. So why was he worried?

"Because my little brothers are out there alone," he thought.

He sighed again and laid back down. He gave up, just gave up. If he couldn't decide between his worry about them and faith in them, then why even try?

"Come home safe," he thought and closed his eyes, his few injuries being strained from walking around-well, pacing around the room. He felt a slight sting in his right leg and glanced down to find a cut on his leg was bleeding through the white bandages wrapped around it.

"Mikey will freak, Don will kill me and a I'll get a lecture from Raph," Leo thought and then smiled, "Oh the irony."

* * *

"Isn't it kind of ironic that we're in a burning building again?" Raph asked as he and Don pushed aside flaming debris.

"Yeah," Don said without realizing what he was saying since all his focus was on a small device in his hands, "I'm getting a life reading from this room."

"Start hacking brainiac," Raph said, pointing to a keypad beside the metal door.

Don smiled slightly and got to work pausing only to throw Raph his shellcell, "Check on Mikey and Leo."

The red masked turtle first called Mikey, "You ok?" he asked when the other line clicked on.

"Fine dude! These aliens aren't that tough," Mikey said, showing the layers of purple skinned, insect-like creatures surrounding the building like a moat.

"Look, get the BattleShell ready to go, we'll get out as soon as we can."

"Roger!" Mikey said and saluted.

"Got it!" yelled Don.

"Do me a favor and check in with Leo, he's got my shellcell" Raph said and then hung up, tossing the shellcell back to Don as they entered the room.

The smoke was so thick they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. A sudden light broke through the smoke.

"Raph?"

"Right behind you Don, can you find him?"

"Yeah, I'm getting a life reading about twenty feet ahead."

They both rushed forward hands flying towards the floor, finding both familiar reptilian skin and a shellcell. Raph slipped the shellcell into his belt and helped Don pick up the unconscious mutant turtle. When they got back into the hallway they took a moment to glance down and were shocked to find exactly what Leo had described, a mutant turtle, just like them.

Raph remembered Leo saying that this was the mutant turtle that had saved his life. The red masked turtle's eyes narrowed in determination, "Let's get him home."

"He saved Leo, we save him," Raph thought as they rushed to the nearest exit.

They rushed out into the cool night air and ran forward at the sight of the BattleShell but Mikey was leaning against one of the open doors. He looked surprised at the sight of the yellow masked turtle, but then his face fell into one of panic as Don and Raph placed Thade on a table inside.

"Bros?" Mikey said in a shaky voice.

"What?" Raph asked a bit harshly but frowned when Mikey flinched.

"Leo's not answering," Mikey said and, "And…" He gulped and raised his shellcell, the camera showed the floor of Don's lab, more specifically the drops of blood shining in the light.

* * *

Wow, wasn't that dramatic?

Readers: Glare

What I'm not ending the chapter, I just thought we could use a breather.

Readers: GLARE

Oh come on, give the author a chance to breathe.

Readers: GLARING while taking out random, sharp, pointy weapons

And we continue on...

* * *

Leo sighed, he knew it was coming. He was an idiot and now he was paying the consequences for his actions.

"YOU FREAKING IDIOT! I TELL YOU TO REST AND WHAT DO YOU DO?"

Leo rolled his eyes at his younger brother's lecture, "Get up anyways?"

Raph growled and reached out to smack his older brother on the back of the head.

"Ow! I thought you only slapped Mikey."

"Only because normally he's the idiot," Raph said.

"I heard that!" Mikey said where he stood on the other side of Don's lab helping the purple masked turtle patch up the new turtle's wounds.

"Mikey go get-Wait, what am I thinking? Raph, look in the closet and get an oxygen tank," Don said motioning to the closet near Leo and Raph.

"Hey what is this? Pick on your little brother day?"

"No," Leo disagreed, "I think it's lecture your older brother day."

"And the so called lecture will continue," Raph said as he delivered the oxygen tank to Don, who hooked it up to a machine before connecting a breathing mask and placing it over Thade's face.

Don breathed a sigh of relief, "Postpone your lecture for a minute Raph."

"Is he ok?" Leo asked.

"Yes, there's only a few first degree burns and some bruises. I want him to breathe clean oxygen for awhile so all the smoke he inhaled can dissipate."

Leo smiled in relief, "Thanks goodness."

"Now back to what I was saying," Raph said, stalking over to Leo.

"I'm going to watch this," Mikey said with a grin, walking across the room to the lecturer and the victim.

Don sighed and shook his head, after watching how they all changed over the years he had to admit getting a lecture from Raphael was worse than Mikey playing copy-cat. The purple masked turtle began cleaning up everything when his hands touched Thade's sword, still in its sheath, on the floor by the metal cot he was on. Curious, the genius turtle picked it up and slid it out of the sheath. He gulped when he saw dark blood on the blade. That dark blood, was turtle blood. He glanced up at the yellow masked swordsman. His brain started putting the pieces together.

_The flash of yellow and a ninja in their sewers. Raph sighting him in that burning warehouse. The cut on Leo's arms and the cut on Mikey's shoulder._

Don shook his head to clear it of the disturbing thoughts. He sheathed the sword and decided to talk with Leo and Raph later about it. What didn't make sense is that if this other mutant turtle was out to destroy them why would he save Leo and why would he call them for help. There had to be an explanation and the patient genius could wait for it.

* * *

It was two days later that, when Don was checking Thade's wounds, that the yellow masked turtle began to gain consciousness. At first Thade tried to run away but when the other three turtles appeared he recognized Leo.

"Leo," he said.

The blue masked turtle smiled and stepped forward, "It's ok Thade, these are my brothers," he said, introducing them all to one another.

"My apologies," Thade said, bowing to each of them, "I thought Bishop had captured me."

"Bishop?" Raph spat, "What do you have to do with him?"

Before Thade could say anything, Don spoke up, "Uh, before you say anything I'd suggest you get something to eat, you've been unconscious for two days. Mikey could you-"

"Sure thing dude!" the smiling orange masked turtle said with a mock salute before reaching out grabbing Thade's arm, "All aboard the culinary express!"

The yellow masked turtle laughed and followed the happy-go-lucky mutant turtle.

"What is it Don?" Raph and Leo asked in unison and shared a smile when they did.

Don smiled slightly, his older brothers were doing that a lot lately. Then his face grew serious, "Guys, I'm pretty sure that Thade is indeed the intruder we had a few weeks ago. I'm also pretty sure he was the one in that burning warehouse."

"But it doesn't make sense," Raph said, "If this guy was after us to destroy us, then why would he save Leo and then call us for help?"

"I've got the exact same questions running through my head," Don said turning to fold up the metal cots since they wouldn't need them anymore, "I won't know more until I can ask him questions, but he needs to eat and rest before I ask him anything not to mention that after that reaction when he woke up, we'll have to be careful."

"I'll get the other one," Leo said, turning to the other metal cot that had gotten out.

Raph let his gaze sweep towards the kitchen, he was nervous about Mikey being in there with that ninja on his own. Even if this guy was a turtle. Stockman wasn't much of a human anymore after all the times Shredder cut him up, but he wasn't their friend and all those mutated animals, from Bishop's alien invasion he faked, didn't exactly become allies either. Although, Raph had to admit, they certainly had had better luck with other mutants than with ninja. The red masked turtle couldn't quite understand it, they were ninja, yet they could befriend, mutants, robots, aliens, humans, other dimensional beings, and even though they were ninja, they had friends from another world that were samurai, but they had never met one ninja they could befriend. Raph was suddenly beginning to question if, in history, the ninja and samurai had fought as much as what was recorded. Who says that they didn't and couldn't work together?

Raph turned his attention back to Don and Leo, who were putting up the cots in the large closet. He himself grabbed the oxygen tank and placed it back in as well before he turned to his older brother, "Maybe you should talk to him bro, he seems to trust you more than us. You know him more than we do."

"Alright," Leo said.

"But let him eat some breakfast first," Don advised, "We don't need him falling over but before you do, there's a few things I need to tell you two."

"What?" they asked in unison and smiled again.

Don told them everything he had recognized, Thade had been the intruder they had almost caught on camera weeks before, he had been the one in the warehouse.

"I sill don't get it, why?" Raph asked.

"Maybe I can find out when talking to him," Leo said.

"Guys," Don said, getting their attention back, "I looked at his sword while he was unconscious and there was congealed blood on the blade."

"So the guy got into a fight, that happens a lot in New York, especially to us," Raph said.

"Raph, the blood on his blade, I tested it, the are two types of blood, from two different people."

"Two?" Leo asked, "That doesn't sound like a gang battle."

Don shook his head, "Leo, the blood was from you and Mikey."

"He was the one who attacked us in that warehouse!" Raph shouted.

"But why would he attack us and then save me?" Leo asked, trying to calm Raph down, he couldn't have his immediate younger brother losing his temper, charging in there and fighting Thade.

"I'm not sure, but I think he has a connection to Bishop, since he mentioned him and the flaming building he was trapped in was surrounded by Bishop's aliens."

"What does Bishop want with him?" Raph said.

"I'm hearing answers that are only leading to more questions," Leo said.

"You sound just like Master Splinter," Don said with a sideways smile.

"Well, I better go see if I can talk to him," Leo said, "And I better check the perimeter after that, if Bishop wants him we need to make sure our home is still secure."

"No, I'll check the perimeter," Raph said, "You just focus on getting answers."

Leo nodded and walked out of the lab but before Raph could walk out Don reached out and grabbed his arm, "Wait Raph there's something else I need to tell you."

"Why didn't you tell Leo?"

"I'm not sure how he would react," Don admitted, "But I took a blood sample while looking over this new turtle and you won't believe what I found out."

"What?"

"Thade is made of our DNA."

"What!"

Don sighed, "Most of his DNA is identical to Leo's but there are a few things from each of us as well, my allele for skin color, your build, Mikey's natural athletic abilities, a bit of my intelligence and a lot of smaller things."

"How the shell does this turtle have our DNA?"

"I think I know, it's only a hypothesis and I can't confirm it until I have answers from him but don't you remember when Bishop got a hold of our DNA?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I think, Thade, is a clone, built with our DNA by Bishop."

Raph frowned and narrowed his eyes, "So Thade here could be working for him."

"Possibly, although his actions, saving Leo, calling for help."

Raph let his thoughts tumble out, "But he might have known that the building was unstable and took Leo there, knowing it would collapse. It could've been his plan to kill all of us, knowing we'd go there for Leo and calling us for help could've been just because he was desperate. People will do pretty risky and stupid stuff before they die."

"I won't know until I get answers," Don said.

"Well I'm going to get answers now!"

Raph stormed off and walked towards the kitchen, ignoring Don's protests. Mikey was just walking out of the kitchen when he noticed an angry Raphael approaching. He quickly stepped out of the way as Raph stood just beside the doorway.

"Oh spying," Mikey thought and joined him.

Don walked out of his lab a few seconds later and joined them as well, listening in on the conversation between Leo and Thade.

"Really?" Thade asked.

Leo laughed, "Yeah, Mikey left his skateboard on the floor and Don was reading while walking and whoop-bam!"

They both laughed and then Leo continued, "After that neither he or Raph was very happy with him."

They were silent for a minute, "You have a good family."

"Yeah," Leo said quietly, "They're the best."

The three younger turtles all shared a smile.

"Has it always been just you four?"

"No, we had a father. He was a mutated rat though, not a turtle like us. He taught us ninjitsu."

"What happened?" Thade asked.

"Just weakness and old age."

Outside Raph grew worried, they tried not to bring up their father around the eldest. He had been the closest to their father, not just as a son but as a person too. Raph had learned that, Leo wasn't Splinter's favorite son, it was just that he could get along with Leo better as a friend, since they both had similar interests in ninjitsu.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," Thade said.

"Hey, you didn't know," Leo said quietly and that set of the warning bells in Raph's mind.

"Uh, maybe I should get back to work," Don said, awkwardly slipping off to his lab.

"And I should help him," Mikey said, getting away from the tense situation.

"But you and your brothers supported one another right?"

"Yeah," Leo whispered his voice cracking a bit, causing Raph to frown.

Well, they hadn't exactly been supportive at first, it took Leo nearly passing out during a battle and then taking a bullet for Don that finally woke them up from their misery induced lives. After that they actually looked at their older brother and after a look over from their purple masked brother, they found Leo was dangerously thin, plates full of moldy food and mugs with tea still in them littered his room. He hadn't been eating and he hadn't slept on his bed for months. He had been working himself ragged. Raph gulped remembering how one time his anger had gotten out of control after that because once they found out all that about Leo, the hothead had an even shorter fuse. He ended up lashing out at all of his brothers at least once. Don had even lost his temper, almost slamming his bo staff into Mikey's head when he was trying to keep Leo from slipping into another coma and the youngest kept bothering him, although Mikey was truly just worried about their eldest brother.

Like Raph had thought weeks before, a year he would rather forget.

"Hey, it's ok," Thade soothed and Raph narrowed his eyes, what was this other turtle doing anyways?

Raph glanced around the corner, making sure to remain unseen by the turtles inside and then his eyes grew wide at the sight.

Leo was leaning against the counter, his eyes on the ground, his posture slumped. Thade was just getting out of the chair he had been sitting in and was walking to Leo's side.

"Still hurts?" Thade asked, leaning on the counter next to Leo.

"Yeah," Leo whispered again.

Thade rested a comforting hand on Leo's shoulder. Neither said anything more.

Raph glared right at Thade, suddenly wishing for heat vision. Who did this turtle think he was? Waltzing in and suddenly being all brotherly with Leo?

"Hey," Thade whispered, turning Leo towards him.

Leo met Thade's gaze and then stepped forward, closing the gap and hugging the larger turtle as Thade's arm encircled him and he tucked Leo's head under his chin. Outside Raph felt the flame in the pit of his stomach shoot up his throat and burn in his eyes. He stood there in anger, hands clenched into fists and grinding his teeth together.

Raph growled. This was wrong! Leo turned to **him **when he needed comfort! Not some strange mutant turtle he had just met that could be trying to kill them all!

* * *

Inside the kitchen Leo pulled away, "Thanks Thade."

"I know how you feel, trust me I do," Thade said, he may have not had a father but the specialists that been used to create him had had families. He obtained their physical attributes as well as their memories and emotions. One ninjitsu specialist had lost his father only a week prior to Bishop's invitation. He felt those emotions, saw those memories and he knew, they hurt, not to mention there were other deaths among the other subjects and more memories in Thade's mind.

"Thanks again," Leo said, "You finish breakfast, I'm going to get the others and then you can tell us all. We'll be in the dojo, right next to Don's lab."

Thade nodded and Leo stepped outside the kitchen and noticed his immediate younger brother standing there.

"What was that all about?" Raph asked Leo with a glare.

"I'm not sure," Leo said, staring back at the kitchen, "It was like, for just a minute, I had an older brother."

Leo smiled and hummed a random tune as he walked towards the dojo. Thade walked out of the kitchen and stepped back when he met Raph's glare. The red clad turtle walked up to him, pulling one of his sais from his belt and pointing it the larger turtle, "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from Leo."

"What do you have against me?" Thade asked with a raised eye ridge.

"I saw you in that warehouse, _Thade. _If that is your real name. I don't trust you so if you don't want to get hurt you'll stay away from Leo."

"Aw, jealous aren't you?" Thade said with a smirk.

"Jealous? How about I wipe that smug look off your face!" Raph shouted pulling out his other sai before charging forward.

Thade jumped back and unsheathed his sword, catching Raph's twin sai as he ran forward.

"Why fight with a farm tool?"

Raph growled and fought harder, letting his anger overcome him.

"Oh come on, sais were used to create furrows in the ground, not for fighting."

"You know I'm really getting ticked off!" Raph yelled dashing forwards, his sais raised to stab until two swords came between the weapons and forced both turtles back.

"Raphael the dojo!" Leo ordered.

Raph glared as his older brother stepped between them.

"Now!" Leo said sternly his eyes narrowed at Raph.

The red masked turtle caught some emotions in Leo's eyes, disappointment and disgust. That was a low hit, especially for Leo. The red clad turtle didn't have to show it though, so he turned and stalked into the dojo, a low growl escaping his throat.

* * *

It was 15 minutes later that Leo walked into the dojo, his eyes still a bit narrowed but slightly relaxed.

"Ok Raphael, what is your problem?" the eldest demanded.

Raph turned away from where he was pounding away on his punching bag, "I ain't got a problem _Fearless."_

Leo cringed at the spite in Raph's voice as the younger turtle spat out his nickname for his older brother. Yes, Raph had always called him that, as far back as he could remember, but the blue masked turtle couldn't recall if Raphael's voice back then held the same spite and anger it did now. After recovering from their father's passing, the name didn't vanish but the spite and anger did. Now, it seemed to return with more intensity than ever.

"What is it with this sudden attitude change?" Leo demanded again, his eyes narrowing further, "Thade hasn't done anything to make you ha-"

"Thade! Thade! Thade!" Raph mocked, "So it's all about him now huh?"

"Raphael, he's our guest."

"Well he ain't welcome in **MY **home!"

"You're not the only one who lives here Raph!"

"Why are you defending him!"

"He saved my life!"

"Yeah and we saved his so he can leave now!"

"I will not abandon a brother!"

That hit Raph in the gut like a punch, "Brother," Raph thought, "No, he couldn't mean…"

The younger turtle growled, hands resting on the handles of his sais but he made no move to slip them out of his belt.

"Oh brother," Raph said slowly, "Funny, I thought I was your brother."

"Raph," Leo whispered, his face falling, this would only end in a fight, well ok, it already was a fight but still, it shouldn't go on. The eldest went with his second option, talking, since the first had been yelling.

The blue masked turtle took a deep breath but didn't move, "Raph, you are my brother, you always will be. Thade saved my life, I'm in his debt and he's ready to explain everything. If you'd just give him a chance."

Raph took a step forward, the grip on his sais tightening.

"He wants to apologize, he didn't mean to insult you he was just teasing. If he's going to stay-"

"STAY! YOU WANT THAT THING TO STAY!"

"Thing!" Leo shouted, unconsciously switching back to option 1, yelling back, "Thade is someone like us! He can't go anywhere else! How dare you even suggest we abandon him!"

"It was your sorry shell that got caught in that fire anyways," Raph said, withdrawing his sais.

He didn't really want to fight but he needed someway to vent his anger, some way to make Leo see his point.

"This isn't about me it's about you and your attitude!"

"Attitude! Figures, our sensei's dead and yet your still a teacher's pet!"

"Do not bring our father into this!"

"Too bad, you know if you weren't such a hopeless son he'd still be here!"

And that was that, one of the few things that really, truly hurt Leo. Something that made his breath hitch, that made his heart pound, made his eyes sting, his throat burn and caused a deep growl to escape his throat. He pulled out his katanas and with rage blinding him he shot forward, Raph matched his stance and did the same.

They crossed, slashing their weapons across the other, hoping that they hit something. Something that would make the other hurt, make the other feel their pain. They both stood silent and then both closed their eyes. A thump followed and the victor turned around and stumbled at the sight and smell…of blood.

* * *

Wow, now Leo and Raph have problems. No one expected that right? (Sarcasm)

Anyways, DragonMasterOf10 thanks again for the pictures, and I hope this chapter was good and dramatic enough. That's it I need to go change one of the categories into drama. Ok, well I'm going to take a little break before starting chapter 4, this chapter was tiring but a lot happened.

Now, please don't hit me with a giant mallet?

Ok please review, I had to do a lot of technical stuff just to get this file to be able to be uploaded. I'd say it all but I think I'd lose everyone by the third sentence.

* * *

Ok preview for chapter 4:

"We'll find him Leo, don't worry," Thade said, resting a hand on Leo's shoulder.

Raph entered the main room from Don's lab and glared at Thade. Leo was **his **brother. The hothead bit back the growl trying to escape his throat and forced his eyes not to glare as he walked over and sat on Leo's opposite side on the couch, trying not to glare around his older brother at Leo's new, 'big brother.'

"We'll find him Bro. He isn't going to get away with this," Raph said determinedly, scooting closer to Leo and resting a hand on his knee.

Leo raised his face from his hands, and the two other turtles couldn't miss the obvious silver streaks of tears on his face. The blue masked turtle raised a hand and Raph thought for a minute he would turn to him for comfort but Leo rested his hand on top of Thade's instead.

"Thanks," Leo said.

Raph frowned and growled under his breath before climbing to his feet and going to Don's lab where his immediate younger brother was typing furiously, trying to catch up with Bishop's whereabouts.

"How's it going," Raph asked, trying to keep his anger from bleeding into his voice.

Don stopped, sensing the anger anyways, "You know you could try talking to Leo."

"No," Raph said loudly, "You know what us 'talking' leads to."

Don sighed, "Well then maybe you should talk with Thade."

Raph gritted his teeth and growled. Don sighed and set his computer to search reports from the last few places Bishop had been. He turned to find Raph shaking with rage.

"Raph," he said sternly, "If you're going to blow up, please do it elsewhere I need this equipment to find Bishop."

Raph growled louder.

"Don't you growl at me, I'm not Leo to stand up to you," Don said and then turned at the sound of a click, the search was done, time to go through them.

The red masked turtle growled a bit louder and exited the room. When he looked in the main room he felt his rage spike and his growling came out every other breath.

"It'll be ok," Thade said quietly, holding Leo close as the blue masked turtle rested his head on the older turtle's shoulder, his eyes closed in peace.

Raph edged around them and ducked into the dojo where Mikey was cleaning up a fallen weapon rack.

"Hey Raph."

Raph was now growling during every breath.

"Still mad?"

Another growl.

"Yep, you're still mad," Mikey said out loud, "Still jealous."

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!"

"Yes you are," Mikey said, "Your jealous Leo now has a big brother to look up to."

"I AM NOT!"

Mikey smiled goofily, "Dude, Raph you sound like a guy that just lost his girlfriend to a supermodel."

Another growl, this one not hiding the promising threat beneath it.

"Raph calm down," Mikey said, a serious expression on his face.

The red masked turtle reached back and threw a sai at Mikey. The orange masked turtle dodged it, barely.

Remembering the last time, the last fight he had fought in, Raph slumped to the floor as he deflated like a balloon. He didn't want to hurt anyone but what gave that turtle the right to take his brother from him. The red masked turtle glanced up when he felt hands on his shoulders. His eyes met the worried onyx gaze of his baby brother.

"Sorry Mikey, but Leo's our brother, not his."

"Well, Thade can be our brother too. Look, I know you're worried about him and Leo being close, but you're always going to be Leo's best friend, and favorite brother."

"Favorite brother?" Raph asked in shock.

"I know I sound like you when you complained about Leo being Splinter's favorite, but no matter who you are, you're going to prefer one person over the other like how I prefer pizza over ice cream. I love them both, I'd just rather have pizza. Leo's loves us all but he just prefers to spend his time with you because you've got more in common. Now he's found a big brother. Big deal."

Raph's shoulder slumped, "It is a big deal. When something happens you and Donny turn to one another, like Leo and I did."

"Did?' Mikey asked, and then smiled at his older brother, "You still can. Leo's seeking comfort from Thade. It's natural for us, as brothers, to go to an elder for comfort. That's why Master Splinter's death hit Leo so hard and think about it," Mikey said glancing sideways at the air, "Leo's **never **had a big brother. I mean, when we were younger, we all, plenty of times, snuck into Leo's room in the night to get comfort from him if we had a nightmare or were scared."

"I never-"

"Yes you did," Mikey said confidently and Raph's eyes grew in surprise, no one was supposed to know!

"Leo didn't say anything," Mikey continued, "But Don has cameras everywhere, remember?"

Raph felt himself glow the color of his bandana.

Mikey laughed, "We all did Raph but Leo never got to, so he's taking the opportunity while it's before him."

Mikey waited for a response until Raph closed his eyes and chuckled, "When did my baby brother grow up?"

Mikey smiled and Raph smiled back. Then a shout ran through the lair.

"I found him!"

* * *

Ok, since I'm taking a little break I wanted to give you guys a lot to hang onto. So that's why the chapter and preview are so long.

Please review! I want to know if this story is getting…Better? Worse? Is it really good? Or is it so bad you'd rather take a flamethrower to it?

REVIEW PLEASE!

Well DragonMasterOf10 I'm probably wearing this out, but thank you for the pictures, they're amazing and I'm so glad you were kind enough to draw them for me.

I guess I'm just not going to be able to say thank you enough.

Well, I'm going to take my time on chapter four but this is probably going to be the longest chapter in the story. Maybe, the last chapter might be longer, but this one is definitely going to be longer thanks to the preview.

Please review! Send me a message if you want. Check out DragonMasterOf10's pictures for this story! Thank you everyone that has reviewed and I thank everyone who's read this story and not reviewed. You're all what keep me writing. THANKS EVERYONE!

I hope chapter four will be out soon and you can ask around, I finish my stories. As I like to say.

"A story untold, is a love unshared"~Me

Ok, that was pretty cheesy but who doesn't like cheese? Well, you get the point. REVIEW PLEASE!

~Moonsetta


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own TMNT.

* * *

Recap:

"This isn't about me it's about you and your attitude!"

"Attitude! Figures, our sensei's dead and yet you're still a teacher's pet!"

"Do not bring our father into this!"

"Too bad, you know if you weren't such a hopeless son he'd still be here!"

And that was that, one of the few things that really, truly hurt Leo. Something that made his breath hitch, that made his heart pound, made his eyes sting, his throat burn and caused a deep growl to escape his throat. He pulled out his katanas and with rage blinding him he shot forward, Raph matched his stance and did the same.

They crossed, slashing their weapons across the other, hoping that they hit something. Something that would make the other hurt, make the other feel their pain. They both stood silent and then both closed their eyes. A thump followed and the victor turned around and stumbled at the sight and smell…of blood.

* * *

Ok, I have this crazy feeling that readers want to know what happened? Right?

Readers: YES!

Should I tell you?

Readers take out pointy sharp weapons again.

Ok, here it is chapter 4. I can't believe people like this story. I must admit, usually I leave a story if there's an OC, because it's always too focused on them. I'm trying not to do that here.

* * *

The room was silent as both Raph, **and** Leo looked at the turtle crouched on the floor between them. Thade looked up and the two younger turtles could see the puncture wound and slash mark across his plastron, but what struck the turtles was that his wounds weren't bleeding yet there was a dark liquid near him and they both looked down to their weapons, one sword and one sai had a few drops of blood on them.

"You two are insane," Thade said, his anger leaking into his voice, "Brothers don't fight like this."

Thade let out a grunt and his hands went to his plastron. There was no blood but there was pain. Leo dropped his swords and ran to his side, reaching out to check the wound when Thade reached out and caught his hand, "It's ok Leo, it's just a few scratches. It's really just the shock."

Thade let his hand fall to the ground when Leo calmed down only to feel a sticky plasma-like substance underneath his fingertips. He glanced up and gulped. Leo apologized and rose while offering to fetch Don. That's when the yellow masked turtle's eyes followed the trail of dark turtle blood to it's source.

"Leo wait!" Thade called but turned in time only to see Leo stumble.

"LEO!" Raph called and let his sais clatter to the floor before dashing over and catching Leo before he could fall. The red masked turtle's breaths grew rapid as he lowered his older brother to the ground.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," Raph chanted, his eyes searching over Leo's body for a puncture wound of his sai, "I couldn't have-no."

He ran his hand over Leo's plastron, searching for the deadly strike he had made. Then a hand clamped around his wrist and he glanced up, his wild, worried eyes meeting Thade's warm, comforting gaze.

"It's ok, you didn't hurt him, look," Thade said, directing the younger turtle's attention to Leo's leg where the stitches in his leg had been torn, "It wasn't you," the eldest turtle said reassuringly, "All the movement he did made him tear open the wound. You didn't hurt him."

Thade looked up and his gaze locked and remained locked with Raph's as the red masked turtle tried to get his frightened heart to slow back down. Finally, after a gulp, Raph nodded his head.

"Hey what's going on in here?" Don asked as he and Mikey ducked into the dojo then they took in everything and rushed to Leo's side.

"Quick, we need to get him back into my lab," Don said.

"I'll bring him," Thade said, scooping Leo into his arms, which seemed to affect all the younger turtles in some way. Whenever they had been hurt one of their older brothers always carried them to safety if they needed. It took at least two of them to carry Leo if he was hurt, unless you only traveled a few feet and dragged him along.

Thade looked annoyed at their stares, "Donatello, go get the medical supplies you need, Michelangelo take out that cot again and Raphael, you stay here."

Don and Mikey jumped at the orders and Thade followed them into Don's lab. Meanwhile, Raph just stared at the floor before him where a small puddle of blood lay. Thade's words echoed in Raph's head.

"_It's ok, you didn't hurt him,"_

"Yes I did," the hotheaded turtle thought, they really tried not to bring it up but-he had, brought it up to use as a motivator to get Leo angry.

"_Figures, our sensei's dead and yet you're still a teacher's pet!"_

_"Do not bring our father into this!"_

_"Too bad, you know if you weren't such a hopeless son he'd still be here!"_

The red masked turtle hadn't been an idiot. After the three younger turtles had healed from their father's passing and finally opened their eyes to see what was wrong with Leo and it was obvious that their 'Fearless Leader' had blamed himself for their father's death, although he had absolutely nothing to do with it! Raph moved in a kind of trance as he walked over and scooped up his sais, before tucking them into his brown leather belt.

"I should probably clean that blood up," he thought.

Then he remembered the fact it was Leo's blood and he stepped around the spilled blood to scoop up Leo's abandoned swords. Just when he saw Thade was hurt, he dropped them, left them, abandoned them because they weren't important at the moment. This hit Raph in the heart as he leaned against the wall and slid down it until he was sitting on the floor. **He **had helped Leo make these katanas. It was right after Leo had been ambushed by the Foot, beaten until the edge of existence. He was teetering between life and death. They brought him back, his physical injuries healed but he had been broken by the ambush, thinking he failed his family. The red clad turtle had been the one that reached out to his older brother and helped him back on his feet when no one else would. Splinter had said that they would **all **have to support their brother to help him heal, but no one did and Raph got fed up with it so he took action, besides the Foot needed to pay for nearly killing Leo! He spent two days in that barn out at the farm house, gathering abandoned metal objects and melting them down to help Leo craft brand new katanas. Secretly, Raph had found an old abandoned refrigerator with a stainless steel frame.

The one crazy neighbor that often wandered the woods nearby had thrown it out. This metal went into crafting the new blades, because Raph wanted his brother back. They worked long and hard to make them perfect, Raph constantly folding the metal over and over again to remove impurities and weak points. He never wanted those blades to break. Leo was just like his swords, like steel, mostly unbreakable but still venerable. The younger turtle decided that that was to never happen again. And now…after all that, Leo tosses them down, for a turtle he considered a brother, some weird mutant that had some connection to Bishop. It was like he didn't even care… and that hurt Raph the most.

* * *

Don found himself growing frustrated, looking over the cells of each blood sample. He had to put the elements together but when he did, he sat frozen in shock.

"Oh no…" he breathed.

"What is it?" Thade asked.

"Look at this," Don said, motioning for Thade to glance through the microscope he was using to observe the blood samples he had taken from Leo.

The yellow masked turtle glanced down and observed that while most of the cells could and were reproducing as they should some did not reproduce, they started turning themselves inside out and seeking out the other cells like them, forming a large band of cells and trying to go somewhere but not getting there because of the wall of the petri dish they were in.

"It's like there's an internal command within each cell giving each one an order," Thade said.

Don smiled, he couldn't believe it, someone else could understand! He shook off the joyous mood before turning serious once again and speaking to Thade, "I'm not sure what's wrong, Leo shouldn't have bleed that much, the wound just isn't that bad."

"But it is still clotting right?" the single swordsman asked.

"Yeah, but I examined the blood more closely as well," Don explained, "That clump of moving cells are the one's Leo's body used to try to block the wound fro, bleeding out but these cells want to go in the opposite direction."

"Have you examined them even further?" Thade inquired, looking away from the cells and back at Don, "I'm guessing there could be some form of internal control. Bishop does have very advanced alien technology."

"So you do have something to do with Bishop," Mikey said where he was sitting by Leo's side on an old fold-up metal chair. The blue masked turtle himself, had an annoyed look on his face since they wouldn't let him even sit up.

"I'll explain when I can," Thade said, "But we need to find out what's wrong with Leo and I want to talk to Raphael."

"Why do you want to help us?" Don asked, "Not to offend you or anything, but how can you just suddenly trust us? How do we know we can trust you?"

Thade sighed and looked back down at the cells through the microscope, "When I tell you my story you'll understand and I will tell you in time."

Mikey and Don shared a skeptical look while Leo turned on his side and went to sleep. Passing out was exhausting!

"Well okay if these bell things-"

"Cells Mikey, cells!" Don said, "For the 20th time, it's cells!"

"Calm down Don," Thade said, placing a comforting hand on the purple masked turtle's shoulder, "Look I'm afraid I don't more than what I can see, it's up to you now."

Don inhaled a deep breath and took Thade's place in front of the microscope, glancing down at the cells again., "Before you talk to Raph could you move Leo into the main room? I'm going to have to pull out some other equipment and I'll need some blood from Raph just in case Leo's leg wound, or any others for that matter, opens up again."

"Sure," the yellow masked turtle said with a nod, walking over to Leo and scooping him into his arms without waking him.

When he was out of the room Don turned to Mikey, "Hey bro, could you go get Raph for me and come here for a second?"

Mikey got up from his chair to walk over to his immediate older brother. Don looked away from the microscope and leaned forward to whisper into Mikey's ear, "Break it to him gently after awhile, just not immediately."

"Oh-ok," the orange turtle mumbled before slipping out of the lab and making his way to the dojo where Raph was beating his punching bag into submission.

"What do **you** want?" Raph sneered.

Mikey flinched at the anger in his older brother's voice and stepped back into the hallway, "Don wants to see you."

"Whatever," Raph said, stalking towards his little brother's lab, trying desperately to avoid watching Thade cover Leo with a blanket. He saw it though and growled. Leo was HIS brother not this show-off ninja turtle wannabe's,

He stepped into Don's lab and got the near full run down from his younger brother but the purple masked turtle withdrew one detail, which he had only told Mikey, he hoped no one over reacted.

* * *

An hour later the genius turtle was rewarded with an answer that knocked out those previous hopes. He ran inside the main room to calm everyone down and once everyone was mostly calm Leo turned to him, a slight haunted look in his eyes.

"What's this about me being a nuclear bomb!" Leo shouted.

Don sighed, "Guys calm down."

"CALM DOWN!" Raph shouted pushing Don back against the wall, one of his hands in a threatening fist, "I DON'T WANT TO CALM DOWN! I WANT AN EXPLANATION!"

Don sighed for what he felt was the hundredth time in an hour, "You see, I'm not sure how but something is causing the blood clotting cells in Leo's body to, malfunction. They all seem to be going somewhere and when I found they stopped at crucial organs and muscles in Leo's body and the others started to join them and manifest into a complicated bio-"

"Don," Leo said and the purple masked genius looked around at the four confused faces.

"Sorry," Don said, pulling away from Raph, not wanting to get punched, "The cells are building what is, equal to a massive bomb. It's probably the reason Bishop's left New York."

"How powerful is this, bomb?" Leo asked, laying a hand on his plastron.

Don fidgeted with his hands, "Well you guys know what happens when you split an atom right?"

"Atomic explosion," Thade concluded.

Don nodded, "Let's just say that there are trillions and trillions of atoms that make up just one cell and if Bishop has some way to control it he could split them all at once. Killing not only you Leo, but possibly the whole country if not the whole planet."

A moment of silence ticked by…

"Who else thinks this guy is a lunatic?" Mikey said out of the blue.

"I say we track him down and throw him in the funny farm," Raph said, cracking his knuckles with a pleased grin.

"I'll try to track him down," Don said, "There's no doubt some hidden sites and trackers I can find."

"I'll go clean up the dojo," Mikey said, ducking into the kitchen for cleaning supplies before making his way to the dojo.

"Raph, I could use some help in moving the equipment," Don suggested.

"Why do you need it?" Thade asked.

"That blood sample I collected is just as dangerous as the independent cells still in Leo's body," Don explained as Raph disappeared into his lab, "They're working and moving independently. Plus, examining atoms without splitting them is very difficult."

"I can't believe this," Leo said as his head fell onto the back of the couch, "I'm a walking bomb."

"Hey, we'll find Bishop and get what we need from him one way or another," Thade said determinedly.

Leo's eyes fell to the floor as he sat up strait again, "I'm scared," he whispered as he raised a hand to his plastron, he could feel those cells, sitting right on top of his heart.

* * *

"What the shell causes them to act like that?" Raph asked, looking over a few drawing Don had made from increasing the slides of cells.

"Some chemical I guess."

"But how the shell did it get in Leo?"

"I have a suspicion but I'll look into it later, I've got to start searching for Bishop. He'll be the only one who knows how to fix this."

"Then can I gut him?" Raph asked.

Don shrugged, "Sure."

After more discussions on the whack bag Bishop and his past plans to destroy them Raph turned to leave. His memory reminding him that his older brother was right outside.

Raph growled, great! Just freaking great! The sooner he got to rip Bishop's limbs off the sooner he could convince his older brother to get rid of this, thing.

* * *

"We'll find him Leo, don't worry," Thade said, resting a hand on Leo's shoulder.

Raph entered the main room from Don's lab and glared at Thade. Leo was **his **brother. The hothead bit back the growl trying to escape his throat and forced his eyes not to glare as he walked over and sat on Leo's opposite side on the couch, trying not to glare around his older brother at Leo's new, 'big brother.'

"We'll find him Bro. He isn't going to get away with this," Raph said determinedly, scooting closer to Leo and resting a hand on his knee.

Leo raised his face from his hands, and the two other turtles couldn't miss the obvious silver streaks of tears on his face. The blue masked turtle raised a hand and Raph thought for a minute he would turn to him for comfort but Leo rested his hand on top of Thade's instead.

"Thanks," Leo said.

Raph frowned and growled under his breath before climbing to his feet and going to Don's lab where his immediate younger brother was typing furiously, trying to catch up with Bishop's whereabouts.

"How's it going," Raph asked, trying to keep his anger from bleeding into his voice.

Don stopped, sensing the anger anyways, "You know you could try talking to Leo."

"No," Raph said loudly, "You know what us 'talking' leads to."

Don sighed, "Well then maybe you should talk with Thade."

Raph gritted his teeth and growled. Don sighed and set his computer to search reports from the last few places Bishop had been. He turned to find Raph shaking with rage.

"Raph," he said sternly, "If you're going to blow up, please do it elsewhere I need this equipment to find Bishop."

Raph growled louder.

"Don't you growl at me, I'm not Leo to stand up to you," Don said and then turned at the sound of a click, the search was done, time to go through them.

The red masked turtle growled a bit louder and exited the room. When he looked in the main room he felt his rage spike and his growling came out every other breath.

"It'll be ok," Thade said quietly, holding Leo close as the blue masked turtle rested his head on the older turtle's shoulder, his eyes closed in peace.

Raph edged around them and ducked into the dojo where Mikey was cleaning up a fallen weapon rack.

"Hey Raph."

Raph was now growling during every breath.

"Still mad?"

Another growl.

"Yep, you're still mad," Mikey said out loud, "Still jealous."

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!"

"Yes you are," Mikey said, "You're jealous Leo now has a big brother to look up to."

"I AM NOT!"

Mikey smiled goofily, "Dude, Raph you sound like a guy that just lost his girlfriend to a supermodel."

Another growl, this one not hiding the promising threat beneath it.

"Raph calm down," Mikey said, a serious expression on his face.

The red masked turtle reached back and threw a sai at Mikey. The orange masked turtle dodged it, barely. Remembering the last time, the last fight he had fought in, Raph slumped to the floor as he deflated like a balloon. He didn't want to hurt anyone but what gave that turtle the right to take his brother from him. The red masked turtle glanced up when he felt hands on his shoulders. His eyes met the worried onyx gaze of his baby brother.

"Sorry Mikey, but Leo's our brother, not his."

"Well, Thade can be our brother too. Look, I know you're worried about him and Leo being close, but you're always going to be Leo's best friend, and favorite brother."

"Favorite brother?" Raph asked in shock.

"I know I sound like you when you complained about Leo being Splinter's favorite, but no matter who you are, you're going to prefer one person over the other like how I prefer pizza over ice cream. I love them both, I'd just rather have pizza. Leo's loves us all but he just prefers to spend his time with you because you've got more in common. Now he's found a big brother. Big deal."

Raph's shoulders slumped, "It is a big deal. When something happens you and Donny turn to one another, like Leo and I did."

"Did?' Mikey asked, and then smiled at his older brother, "You still can. Leo's seeking comfort from Thade. It's natural for us, as brothers, to go to an elder for comfort. That's why Master Splinter's death hit Leo so hard and think about it," Mikey said glancing sideways at the air, "Leo's **never **had a big brother. I mean, when we were younger, we all, plenty of times, snuck into Leo's room in the night to get comfort from him if we had a nightmare or were scared."

"I never-"

"Yes you did," Mikey said confidently and Raph's eyes grew in surprise, no one was supposed to know!

"Leo didn't say anything," Mikey continued, "But Don has cameras everywhere, remember?"

Raph felt himself glow the color of his bandana.

Mikey laughed, "We all did Raph but Leo never got to, so he's taking the opportunity while it's before him."

Mikey waited for a response until Raph closed his eyes and chuckled, "When did my baby brother grow up?"

Mikey smiled and Raph smiled back. Then a shout ran through the lair.

"I found him!"

They all rushed to Don's lab where they found that Bishop was somewhere in Massachusetts.

"We could stay at the farm house in Northampton," Mikey suggested which was agreed to quickly by everyone but when Leo went to speak up, no doubt already having a plan, Don stopped him.

"Leo, you're staying here."

"What? But why?" Leo questioned.

"I've set up everything I could think off, if those cells have internal controls embedded into their-" he stopped at the blank looks that glanced back at him.

He sighed a sigh that was almost a growl and ran a hand down his face, "I've set up barriers, other signal waves and any airborne defenses I could find to stop those radio signals from reaching you Leo, but if you set foot outside the lair, it'll be more likely that Bishop could use these unstable cells to his advantage."

"Don's right," Raph said, resting a hand on Leo's shoulder and scowling when his older brother didn't even seem to recognize the gesture, "Mikey, you call Casey and April, we'll meet them in front of April's shop with the BattleShell. Don grab anything you think we might even remotely need even if it's ridiculous and as much as I hate saying this," Raph spoke through gritted teeth, "Thade. You're coming along since we're down by one teammate."

Thade nodded but then cast a strange look towards Leo as Don ducked into his lab and Mikey fished out his shellcell, walking towards the elevator that lead to the garage they kept their vehicles in.

"Guys?" Leo asked as the other turtles were prepared to leave.

They all turned to their eldest brother, who Thade's curious glance with his own weary one, "It's going to be dangerous getting anything from Bishop, so…" Leo paused for a long few seconds before setting his eyes on the floor, although his voice remained as clear as before, "I want Thade to lead the mission."

"WHAT!" Raph barked, "I'M YOUR SECOND-IN-COMMAND NOT THIS THING THAT SUDDENLY WALTZED IN AND STARTED ALL THIS BULL-"

"Language Raphael," Leo said with narrowed eyes.

Raph growled as something in him, snapped, "FORGET IT! FORGET YOU! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I'M DOING THIS FOR AN UNGRATEFUL JERK LIKE YOU!"

Raph stalked towards the door that lead to the sewers before turning back, his eyes flashing, "I'll go meet Casey and April," he said in a strangled voice, his anger no longer exploding but cindering.

The red masked turtle's eyes met Leo's, "I hate you."

* * *

Whew what a chapter. Sorry it's short compared to the last one but chapter three's most likely going to be the longest one. Now we're officially half-way done with this tale. Four chapters left!

Ok please review and I think you all will like this preview for chapter five:

Don gasped in deep breaths as he wiped away the blood. He turned towards the slowing heart beat showing on a monitor screen and quickly ran across the room for a set of medicine vials on his desk before picking one up and injecting it into the form that lay motionless on the metal cot they had pulled out once again.

Outside, a figure sat, his tears dotting the floor of stones where he sat curled up against the wall. Another form joined him and the first looked up only to be wrapped in a protective, comforting embrace.

"He'll be ok bro," the larger turtle whispered, pulling his little brother closer.

"But what if-"

"There's no what if's. It's just going to be that way."

The turtles glanced back at the lab as Don ran across the stone floor, back and forth, back and forth, all over the room.

"He'll be fine, I promise."

No sooner did the older turtle mutter these words when the steady rising and falling of the heart monitor went flat, releasing a long shrilling beep.

"NO!" a shout came from inside.

The younger turtle shot from his older brother's arms and into the room.

"Leo wait!" Thade called after him, pushing himself to his feet.

He only made it to the door when Leo flew back out and into his arms, tears streaming down his face, muttering one name.

"Raphael…"

A minute later Leo pulled harshly away, staring Thade down with his signature glare, "This is all your fault! He's gone because of you!"

* * *

So who's excited for chapter 5? Let me hear you!

Please review? I'm on a roll. Chapter five is already done I just want some reviews for this chapter.

So review please ASAP. I want **sooooooo **bad to post chapter five.

Hurry!

~Moonsetta


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own TMNT.

You quit reading LeoFan2010? Well then, this chapter's dedicated to you. The one reader that will tell me when they don't like a story and will leave it, telling it to strait the author's face. Way to go! I have to keep faith that this story is somewhat good or I'll never finish it and I finish stories, so if it starts going nowhere then I'll just have to delete the story. And I really don't like doing that.

By the way, my father told me to put this up. Thade is my OC and I place a copyright on him. He's my OC, no one else can use him. Other than DragonMasterOf10 who I've given permission to for the awesome pictures she's drawn for this story.

Warning: There will be brotherly fluff, so much sweetness I decree the possibility of toothache .

* * *

Leo gulped and paced the main room of his home he could still remember those words…

"_I hate you."_

"How could Raph say that? I didn't mean I wanted Thade to take Raph's place. Oh, he's got the wrong idea. I've got to fix this! But how?" Leo thought, still pacing.

His brothers had already left and how was he supposed to get a hold of Raph anyways? The hothead had left his shellcell in Don's lab when he'd given to Leo for his insecure worries when they went to rescue Thade.

"Thade," Leo thought, this new turtle, he was the big brother Leo had never had. He supposed it was only natural since Thade at least seemed older than all of them, the blue banded turtle could barely contain his migraines on the possible fact of getting another little brother.

Leo's pacing constantly changed direction and distance until he found himself in front of Don's lab. He slipped inside and glanced around, finding what he sought on one of the clattered lab tables, Raph's shellcell. As he picked up the shell-styled phone a sense of foreboding washed over his mind. He let himself be captured in the pool of doubt for a moment before shaking it off and staring determinedly at the shellcell. He couldn't call his hotheaded little brother since his shellcell wasn't with him and if he called any of the others and they told Raph Leo wanted to talk to him, well he'd be likely to smash whoever's shellcell he was handed into bits. Which reminded Leo, Thade still had his shellcell. What could he do?

He took a deep breath and then opened the shellcell before dialing a combination of numbers. It rang once, twice and a third time before someone picked up.

"Hello?"

Leo sighed in exasperation, "Thade."

"Oh Leo, the caller ID said Raphael."

"Yeah, he left his shellcell with me since you have mine."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"That's ok, you'll need it, where are you guys?"

"We're waiting on Raphael, I've met Casey and April but that little brother of yours hasn't shown up."

Leo gulped quietly so Thade wouldn't hear it, "I'm sure he'll show up." Actually, no he wasn't. Familiar doubts and fears began to fill him. Was something wrong with Raph? Did he get into a fight? Is he just laying out there? Cold? Unmoving? De-

Leo stopped his thoughts right there. He was overreacting.

"Is everything ok Leo?"

"Everything's fine."

An awkward silence followed them.

"He didn't mean it little brother," Thade whispered.

"I know," Leo said to Thade, "But I still need to talk to him," he added in his head.

"Ok, good luck," Leo said after another silent moment and closed the shellcell.

He glanced towards the door and remembered Don's explanation from earlier. Ok some chemical had gotten into his body and caused his cells to act abnormal. Some kind of control was causing these cells to stop growing and move towards major organs and muscles in his body. The largest sitting over his heart. Every atom in these cells were set to explode at any time their enemy chose. Leo was still trying to figure out how the chemical had gotten into him in the first place. He shook his head. He could worry later. Leo glanced up at the door. Those airborne waves, whatever they were only extended as far as the lair. Setting foot outside could mean instant death and an instant death of possibly the whole country if not the world. They had confirmed it was Bishop's technology, no one used such stolen alien technology.

But, what kind of friend, leader and more importantly, brother was he if didn't at least try?

That being his final thought, Leo walked towards the door, tucking Raph's shellcell into his belt. He needed to find his brother and no trillions of atomic bombs inside his body was going to stop him from making this right. Without taking a breath he walked determinedly out the door, surprised when no instant explosion followed. With that he smiled and stole his way to the surface, he had to find his brother.

* * *

"Are you sure those airborne wave things are going to protect Leo?" Mikey asked his immediate older brother who was sitting in the driver's seat of the BattleShell, where the genius turtle was not driving but working on Leo's shellcell, customizing the settings to become Thade's. He'd make a new one for Leo when this all blew over.

"I'm sure," Don said, "Any control Bishop has must be radio, so applying a set of high amplitude radio waves in constant succession should eliminate all factoring-" Don stopped and stared at Casey's and Mikey's dumbfounded looks. He sighed, well at least Thade and April understood, at least to a point.

He sighed and looked for laymen's terms to explain, "The radio waves Bishop is using to control those cells are being pushed away by the radio waves I have coming out of the lair."

"Oh, why didn't you just say so?" Mikey asked.

Don sighed, "I did!"

"Hey don't blow up at me!" Mikey shouted back.

"He's just stressed Michelangelo," Thade said, setting a comforting hand on each of their shoulders, "I can't blame him and neither should you."

"Ok," Mikey mumbled, "Sorry Don."

Don smiled, "Apology accepted little brother."

"Where do you think Raph is?" April asked.

Don shrugged, "I don't know."

"He better get here quick," Casey said as he opened the back doors to look up at the dark sky, "There's a storm coming in."

* * *

Raph kicked one of the gang members he had just knocked out. They had cornered some elderly lady and wanted her money. Heh, yeah, like Raph was going to let them get away with that. The red masked turtle rolled his eyes and jumped to the rooftops, not wanting to stick around. He knew he should be meeting with the others but he wasn't sure if he could even manage to come within 100 feet of the 'thing'. That's what this new turtle was to him, a thing. He spat the word like he was talking about a parasite. A leech, a tick, a worm. Nothing but a soon-to-be maimed worm. Raph flew across the rooftops, landing on top of a medium sized towering building, gazing across the city. He sat down. He had to work out his thoughts before he met with the others to go find whatever it was from Bishop. To help Leo…

"Leo," he whispered.

Ok, so what he said was probably the stupidest thing ever. He could sit here and rant about it all night long but the years had taught him that it did nothing to help. The sound of a footstep made Raph jump to his feet, turn and withdraw his sais, all in one move. It was then a crack of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the figure on the other side of the rooftop. Raph's breath caught in his throat when he saw the familiar shape of one of his brothers. Oh, so either Mikey or Don had come to find him. They did have a mission after all. At that moment a light shower of raindrops began to pour but only lasted until the figure stepped close enough to come into a full view while Raph tucked his sais back into his belt. He watched the reflection of another bolt of lightning as it danced across the reflective metal.

"Raph?"

The red masked turtle felt like he had been hit with a giant mallet. He glanced up and glared, "Leo, what the shell are you doing here! You freaking idiot! Don told you to stay in the lair! Are you trying to get killed!"

Leo smiled sadly and walked closer until he was only three feet from Raph, "We need to talk."

"There ain't nothing to talk about! Leave me the shell alone!" Raph yelled, turning his back to his older brother.

A minute of silence ticked by until Raph felt a hand on his shoulder. He pulled away but it hung on.

"Let go of me Leo," he said in a warning tone through clenched teeth.

"No," Leo said determinedly, "Just please, let me explain. When I said for Thade for lead the mission-"

"SHUT UP!" Raph yelled turning to face Leo, not noticing the tears welling up in his eyes, "I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! LOOK YOU GOT A NEW BROTHER! YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T NEED ME AROUND ANYMORE SO JUST LEAVE ME THE SHELL ALONE!"

Leo stepped back, his jaw hanging down, his eyes wide and blinking. That was what Raph thought? Oh no…

"Raph I don't-" Leo tried to explain.

"LOOK IF YOU WANT ME GONE SO YOUR NEW BROTHER CAN TAKE MY PLACE ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SAY SO!"

"He's not taking your place," Leo said quietly.

In fact so quietly, Raph couldn't bring himself to yell back, only talk through clenched teeth once again, "What the shell do you want from me Leo? I thought for once I was actually doing something right in your eyes!"

As Raph spoke, his voice grew louder and he started circling Leo, "I thought for once I could actually be the leader you wanted me to be! FOR ONCE LEO, I THOUGHT I WAS IMPRESSING YOU!"

"Impressing me?" Leo asked silently, his eyes still wide as he followed Raph's circling form.

Raph was breathing heavily now, losing control of his emotions. Was it that freaking hard to see? Leo was and had always been his older brother. No matter who you were, you wanted to impress your older siblings to show that you could be strong for them too. Let them know they could count on you as much as you counted on them, return a little something that they gave you throughout the years. Although, it never even came close to how much they gave you.

Leo took a deep breath, he had to end this, "Raph please, let me speak."

"I ain't got no reason to listen to you," Raph said through clenched teeth, his Brooklyn accent thickening with his anger, "Why the shell did you come after me anyways?"

Leo pulled something from his belt and held it out to Raph, "You left your shellcell in Don's lab."

Raph growled, he could feel his hands twitching to reach out, grab Leo's wrist and break it. Instead he settled for growling again and shooting forward, and shoving Leo against a large air conditioning unit a few feet away. His anger was blinding him, he knew. But it felt so good to hold that power. He swung back his fist and-

"I am impressed," Leo said quickly, "That's why you're my second-in-command and my best friend."

Raph froze and then reality caught up with him. He was pulling back his fist to punch Leo. Leo, his older brother, his best friend, his team's leader, the one that had chosen him as his successor. That made Raph pause for a second longer. Leo could've chosen Don, Mikey even, but suddenly Raph remembered what Leo had said, just days before all this chaos began to happen.

_"In the area of intelligence, yes, Donny would be the ideal choice, but you're older, more highly skilled in ninjitsu, more protective and just possess more qualities of a good leader than he does."_

It still wasn't good enough though. Raph was hurt, his heart calling for something, but he wasn't sure what that was. Raph breathed deeply, still staring into Leo's eyes. Onyx to onyx, red to blue, brother to brother. Leo saw the opportunity and took it. He couldn't let this misunderstanding go on. Yes, Raph's last words had hurt and they had hurt him deeply, but it was his job to make sure his younger brothers were not only safe, but happy.

"Raph listen," Leo said, raising a hand to lay on Raph's that still lay on his shoulder, "I didn't mean for Thade to lead the whole mission. I wanted him to lead you guys in and out of Bishop's headquarters. He's been with Bishop and knows the layout. He knows Bishop better than any of us. I'm just choosing him because he can do more good that way than he could at just being a teammate, but in battle situations, emergencies, that's when I want you to take over. It's just for this mission Raph. He's not taking your place."

It was a lot of what Raph wanted to hear but it still didn't seem like enough. Some emotion flashed across Raph's eyes and Leo understood. He needed much more than just words. Raphael had always been more of an action person anyways. Words could only go so deep for him. Leo pulled Raph's hand from his shoulder, and then met his eyes, letting his own emotions flood his eyes. The younger saw them too clearly, self-disappointment, sorrow and a kind of wishing look.

"What?" Raph was about to say but didn't get the chance when his older brother stepped forward and pulled him into a hug.

"He's not taking your place Raphael," Leo whispered as a loud crack of thunder echoed across the sky above them, "No one could take your place."

Raph gulped, because Leo could say anything. This could be some sick joke he was pulling because of what the red masked turtle had said earlier. Leo pulled back but still held on to his little brother as he spoke, "Raph," he whispered.

The younger turtle forced himself to meet Leo's eyes and he suddenly couldn't look away.

"Raph look, I may say now that my best friend is Usagi or even Thade but you're my best friend too and you're something more than them. You're my brother. I've known Thade for what? A couple of days. I've known Usagi for a few years, but I've known you for 15 almost 16 years."

Raph bent his head forward feeling a light sprinkle of rain starting to fall over them.

"You should be back at the lair," Raph said, his voice strong but wavering, "Bishop could-"

"I don't care Raphael," Leo said, "I don't care if he kills me, the last thing I want is to die with there being anger between us."

Raph mentally slapped himself, here was Leo, who was currently in danger of nothing short of exploding, risking his neck just so they could try to reach an understanding. And what was he doing? Telling Leo to go home. To leave him alone. Raph noticed that his hands hanging at his sides were beginning to shake. But why? His breath was coming out faster and he suddenly felt five again.

"Raph?" Leo spoke so softly that the red masked turtle had to look up and make sure Leo was still there.

Yes, Leo was still with him, still hugging him, still watching him, still- Raph felt his eyes droop and refused to let the next thought pass his mind.

"Raph," Leo whispered again and pulled him closer, tucking Raph's head under his chin, "I love all my little brothers but you're something the others aren't, you're my best friend, and I love my friends as well, but you're also something they're not, you're my brother."

Raph raised his hands and placed them on Leo's plastron, but he didn't push him away, instead he turned his head and pressed his face into Leo's neck as his older brother's arms tightened around him. The younger turtle felt his shoulders begin to shake but he believed it was the chill from the light rain. And he was positive the water sliding down his face was just raindrops that had landed on him, they weren't tears. They weren't. They weren't tears. There was absolutely no way that he was crying. No possible way was he crying and-

"Leo," he muttered.

Leo pulled Raph to the side of the building, scooping up Raph's shellcell on the way and tucking it into his belt before he pulled Raph along down to a ledge on the side of the building. An overhang created by the rooftop that stuck out. The blue clad turtle sat them both down and let Raph lean into him. Leo smiled, he remembered a time just like this, but he was the one hanging on to Raph instead.

It had been about five months after their father had passed away. When the younger turtles had opened their eyes to Leo's silent grieving. Right after they were trying to keep him from slipping into another coma thanks to the bullet he had got in a gang battle, throwing himself between Don and the gunman as a living shield. When he finally broke down from their questions about his habits of not eating or even sleeping it was Raph he turned to and spent an hour crying on his shoulder.

It seems it was time for Leo to return the favor.

Raph was having a heck of a time trying to hold himself together, but he could sense he was losing it.

"It's ok Raph, I'm here for you."

The red masked turtle almost lost it then. He didn't hate Leo. They were brothers! And ever since they had healed from their father's death the two had been closer than ever. "And I'm gonna let this stupid jealousy come between us?" Raph asked himself and then felt his eyes narrow in determination, "Yeah right," he thought sarcastically.

He pulled back slightly from where he had rested his head on Leo's shoulder before enveloping his older brother in his own hug.

"I'm sorry," Raph said and then reached up and scrubbed away the few tears that managed to escape his eyes, "I don't-"

"I know," Leo said with a smile and then breathed out a sigh of relief, "You don't have to say it."

"I want to though," Raph whispered and pulled back to look Leo in the eyes, "I'm sorry Leo, I don't hate you, I just don't want you to replace me."

Leo smiled tenderly and reached out to place a comforting hand on the side of Raph's face, smiling more as he leaned slightly into it,

"So, ready to lead the others through the trip there and back? Mikey will be annoying but I'm sure you can find some way to calm him down. Don has his laptop so he'll be fine. April should have hers as well. Thade should be fine. Casey, I have no idea about."

Raph chuckled shortly, "I can handle them, don't worry."

"Here, your shellcell," Leo said, holding it out as Raph pulled away from the hug and just sat in front of him.

Raph smiled and pushed it back, "You keep it. You know, to call if there's trouble. Now you better get back before the others find out you're away from the lair. Don will go mental if it doesn't give him an aneurism."

They both laughed softly at that.

"Ok, now what are you waiting for? You have a team waiting for you," Leo said as he stood up and tucked the shellcell back into his belt before holding out a helping hand to Raph.

The younger turtle took the offered hand and rose to his feet, surprising Leo this time with a hug. They only acted like this when no one was watching. They had images to maintain after all. Getting over the momentary shock, Leo hugged back and whispered, "I've never been more proud of you Raphael," then, in a rare movement, he turned his head and nuzzled Raph's temple.

* * *

AHH! I'm drowning in fluff! Somebody help!

Ok and we continue on…

* * *

"Finally you showed up," Don said as Raph slipped inside the BattleShell , "Where have you been?"

"Nowhere. Now move it, I'm driving," he said, trying to regain the pride he had recently swallowed.

Hours later they reached the farmhouse in Northampton, Massachusetts. When they pulled up to the old house Raph turned to the others, "Ok Thade what do you know that could help us?"

Thade smiled deviously, "Oh just a few weak points in Bishop's technology. The man himself may be a perfectionist but not everyone that works for him is. Especially those scientists. They make a lot of mistakes."

"Ok," Raph said and turned to Don and April, "Can you two pull up blueprints, a picture, anything on the is place.

"We're on it," Don and April said in unison.

Raph looked back at Thade. If what Don said was true and this turtle had a lot of Leo's DNA then he must be a good strategist as well.

"Ok Thade, once we get these pictures or blueprints, we'll make a plan. Mikey and Casey, I need you two to make sure we have anything that could be useful ready."

"I found the location and a surrounding camera shot," April said.

"Blueprints!" Don shouted excitedly.

"Good, now let's get inside," Raph said steeping out of the BattleShell, "We'll rest for tonight then head out early tomorrow."

"How early?" Mikey asked as he and the others jumped out of the back.

"We'll leave at five," Raph said.

"A.M.?" Mikey asked in shock.

"That's crazy Raph," Casey said, "I need my twelve hours."

Raph rolled his eyes and made his way to the house. That night Don and April set their laptops up so Thade and Raph could create a plan to get in, get what they needed and get out.

"I'd still like to know how that weird chemical got into Leo anyways," Raph said.

"I'm afraid that's my fault Raphael," Thade said apologetically.

Raph frowned, so it was Thade's fault? Wait, that didn't make any sense…

"Ok Thade I don't get it, I really don't, what is up with you? Look, gaining my trust is hard, we've NEVER had any good news when it comes to other ninjas. Look the others are already asleep why don't you tell your story, I'm not tired anyways. Thade sighed and began his tale, telling of how he was created not hatched nor born, about his dead clone-brothers that hadn't survived as he had, How Bishop had taken control of him. He admitted that Bishop had him scouring the sewers for traces of them and that it had indeed been him in the warehouse that had hurt Leo and Mikey.

Then he came to the hardest part, "I think I know where the chemical came from."

"Where?"

"My sword, it was the only thing that harmed Leo before all this happened," Thade said.

"So you did this," Raph said with a growl.

"Not intentionally," Thade said quietly, unsheathing his sword and staring at it.

"Wait a minute," Raph said, "Your sword cut both Leo and-"

Shock came over both their faces, "Mikey!"

* * *

"You better have destroyed that thing," Raph said as Thade stepped into the attic where Mikey was sitting on a bed with a thermometer in his mouth, pouting.

"I feel fine!" Mikey protested, throwing his hands into the air as Don took out the thermometer and looked at the normal temperature reading.

"I did," Thade assured him, "The sword's at the bottom of the lake."

"Did you get a small sample before you tossed it in?" Don asked and Thade held out a piece of the metal, now that they all looked closer they could see a strange discoloration on the sword, not all of the metallic shade was the same intensity of gray. The sword itself was a medium gray while this chemical was lighter and it was laying right on the blade! Why hadn't they seen that before?

"Can you do something about it Don?" Raph asked, "Create something to reverse it?"

"Well, I did bring a few instruments along," Don said, "I'll need to examine it in the BattleShell though. Keep Mikey in bed!"

"But," Mikey protested.

"Casey, you keep a look out for Don," Raph ordered.

"Does this mean we could possibly skip this whole thing with Bishop?" Thade asked.

"Why, got some sympathy for him?" Raph asked with a sneer.

"Can you blame me Ralph?' Thade taunted with a teasing smile.

Mikey and April laughed. Raph gritted his teeth. This turtle was really pushing his nerves! When Thade went to say it again Raph reached out and pulled at his mask tails before slapping him on the back of the head, "Can it sunshine!"

Mikey and April laughed more but suddenly Mikey spoke, "Hey don't pick on Raph," Mikey said confidently and a moment of shocked silence froze the scene, "That's my job!" Mikey shouted, "Right? Raphie!"

"Alright that's it!" Raph yelled and jumped after Mikey as he sprang to his feet.

"Mikey you're supposed to stay in bed!" April called after him.

"Oh ok," he said and started jumping on the four beds in the attic for the four turtles.

"MIKEY GET BACK TO BED THIS INSTANT!" Don yelled as he walked into the attic with Casey behind him.

"That was fast," Thade said.

"Yeah well Casey was hitting everything that moved, even the grass," Don said and they all looked up to see their human friend covered it scratches and bite marks.

"You're lucky that raccoon didn't have rabies," Don said and then turned to April, "Could you patch him up April?"

"Sure," the red head said with a nod and dragged Casey out the room to track down the first aid kit.

"Did you find anything out?" Raph asked, adjusting his mask.

"Yes, I especially found out a chemical mix that can counteract it," Don said with a smile, "But we'll need to get a few supplies on our way back to New York."

"So we took this trip for nothing?" Mikey said in exasperation.

"No, there are actually a few things I need further up north to make this solution," Don said.

"How north are we talking?" Thade asked.

"Yeah, the only states further north are Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine," Raph said, "Then you'll hit Canada, which is a whole different country plus the chances of getting across the border are even more difficult than breaking into Bishop's headquarters."

"Guys don't worry, what I'll need is a certain herb from Maine, it shouldn't be near the border, so we won't even be close to the Canadian border."

"Still, we made this trip for nothing?" Mikey asked, when he received silence as the only answer, he sighed and flopped down on his bed.

* * *

The next morning they woke up at 5:00am much to Mikey and Casey's distress and made their way to the border of Maine and looked around for the herb only to find out it grew on the edge of cliffs and the closest cliff happened to be hanging over the Atlantic ocean itself. April shocked and scared them all into near heart attacks when she was the one that climbed down to get it. She ended up getting a lecture from everyone, including Casey which ended up making them bicker all the way back to New York.

All in all they had spent two days away from New York.

"I wonder how Leo's doing?" Raph thought and then looked over at the passenger seat where Thade was fast asleep. The red masked turtle felt himself smile. Maybe this new ninja turtle wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

(2 days before)

Leo sighed and stretched his arms out. His muscles were cramping from being out the rain. He was still a cold blooded reptile after all. The cold got to him very easily. He began his trek home, yeah Don would kill him if he found out he had left the lair. He traveled for a good few minutes until he was only a few tunnels from his home when he heard something behind him. He turned to find what it was only to hear a creak and whimper as pain exploded in his skull. Disoriented and bleeding he glanced up as his own blood ran over his eyes and down his face into the sewer water below. Two curious eyes stared back before his eyes slid closed and he gave into the incoming darkness. But as he faded he felt someone very large and muscular scoop him into their arms.

Who?

But he could think no more as he fell under the black suffocating waters of his mind.

When Leo next opened his eyes he wasn't aware of time or anything really but he glanced down and found he was floating, somewhat he couldn't actually see himself floating but he was looking down at something, a room and a hallway.

"Where am I?" he thought, looking beyond the isolated room and hallways but finding nothing but darkness.

Then, the sound of a slowing heartbeat caught his attention. He glanced down into the room and saw a horrible sight. His immediate younger brother was hooked up to all kind of machines and a heart monitor near by was showing how weak his heart was. Don was there too, running back and forth. Leo tried to call out to them but he couldn't.

"What's going on?" he thought while observing everything below.

Don gasped in deep breaths as he wiped away the blood. He turned towards the slowing heart beat showing on a monitor screen and quickly down for a set of medicine on his desk before picking it up and injecting it into the form that lay motionless on the metal cot they had pulled out once again.

Outside, a figure sat, his tears dotting the floor of stones where he sat curled up against the wall. Another form joined him and the first looked up only to be wrapped in a protective, comforting embrace.

"He'll be ok bro," the larger turtle whispered, pulling his little brother closer.

"But what if-"

"There's no what if's. It's just going to be that way."

The turtles glanced back at the lab as Don ran across the stone floor, back and forth, back and forth, all over the room.

"He'll be fine, I promise."

No sooner did the older turtle mutter these words when the steady rising and falling off the heart monitor went flat, releasing a long shrilling beep.

"NO!" a shout came from inside.

The younger turtle shot from his older brothers arms and into the room.

"Leo wait!" Thade called after him, pushing himself to his feet.

He only made it to the door when Leo flew back out and into his arms, tears streaming down his face, muttering one name.

"Raphael…"

A minute later Leo pulled harshly away, staring Thade down with his signature glare, "This is all your fault! He's gone because of you!"

Leo gasped, watching himself was quite unusual. But was this the sense of foreboding he had felt earlier? Wait, now there was a white light.

And then, Leo awoke with a gasp.

"Ah, you have awakened Leonardo," said a voice from the shadows.

Leo didn't take his surroundings into account and when a light came on, revealing the surrounding room that had been hidden in the dark, he gasped.

* * *

The turtles returned home, Don leading the way with a happy smile on his face, "See we didn't need Bishop. A successful test."

"Did it have to be with a needle?" Mikey asked with some kind of look that was a half pout and half glare.

The three other turtles laughed. Thade suddenly grew a mischievous smile on his face. He ran up and hit Raph in the back of the head, "Race you Ralph!" and then he took off running towards the lair.

Raph grinned a similar mischievous smile and ran to catch up, doing so in seconds, "No way you're winning this one, sunshine!"

"Guys wait up!" Mikey and Don yelled but were left in the dust at first before they finally reached the doorway to their lair.

"I won!" Raph said.

"No I won!" Thade said.

"I won!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Don rolled his eyes and Mikey whispered to him, "They're acting like Raph and Leo."

"Well Thade does have 90% of Leo's DNA," Don reminded his younger brother and stepped forward to key in the code for their home.

When the door opened Mikey ran in and shouted, "Leo! We're home!"

Fear enveloped their hearts when silence was the only sound they heard. Then as the panic began to take them over, Don's shellcell started ringing. He breathed a sigh of relief when it said it was Raph's shellcell calling, which Raph had told them Leo had. Don would kick his shell for leaving the lair!

He answered the phone, "Leo where are you? I gave you explicit instructions to not-"

"Leonardo is with me," said a familiar voice on the other end, shocking the four turtles into silence.

* * *

Whew, that gave me a crick in my neck. Ow! Anyways people can stop panicking. That was just a dream.

Anyways now the turtles seem to have a bigger problem. Now tell me everyone and I will really appreciate your answers:

Who do you think has Leo?

Please I want to hear from everyone!

* * *

Ok here's the preview for chapter 6:

"Feeling better bro?" Raph asked, sitting down next to Leo on the couch in their main room while Thade sat on his other side.

Leo took a sip of his tea before sitting it down on the coffee table in front of them, "Yeah, I feel better."

Thade rested a hand on Leo's shoulder, "You sure scared us little brother."

Leo smiled and rested his hand on top of Thade's, smiling happily "Sorry big brother."

Raph reached out, placing his hand on Leo's knee, like he had before and this time, didn't expect any reaction but Leo turned to him and smiled before yawning from the effect of the chamomile tea Mikey had made him and leaned over to rest his head on Raph's shoulder. Raph felt himself smile. He had to agree with Thade, it was nice playing big brother once in awhile.

Just then, the door to Don's lab opened and April stepped out with a stack of papers in her hands. She looked towards the turtle and awed when Thade reached out and massaged Leo's plastron while Raph moved his head and nuzzled Leo's temple. All these things causing the blue banded leader to fall into a deep sleep.

"I think I'll be the first one you guys manage to kill with cuteness," she said with a laugh as the turtles blushed, "Anyways Don finished analyzing the tests and everything seems to be back in order. Leo and Mikey are back to normal and no longer walking atomic bombs."

"That's a relief," Thade said with a sigh.

"Definitely," Mikey commented as he walked out of Don's lab, the purple banded turtle himself following close behind.

"Hey guys, when Leo's rested some, how about a patrol tonight?" Raph asked.

"Alright!" Mikey cheered only to be shushed by Don, "You wake Leo up and Raph will make you clean the dojo for the next two weeks."

"Fine," Mikey huffed grumpily and turned around only to suddenly see his skateboard under his foot, which he ended up stepping up and fell off of making everyone laugh.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up," Mikey said with a pout.

* * *

Ok, remember this in only chapter 5. We've got three more to go! So does this make you all happy? Sad? Angry? Disappointed? Give me feedback people! Please? I'm getting bored.

Please review!

~Moonsetta


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own TMNT.

Sorry it's short. ^_^

* * *

"Oh, thank goodness," Don said into his shellcell, "Yeah, we'll be right there."

The purple clad turtle growled under his breath as he turned to his brothers, "Leo's at Leatherhead's."

"Leatherhead's?" Thade asked.

"A friend of ours," Mikey explained.

"Human?"

Mikey shook his head, "Nope, mutant, like us, only he's a crocodile."

"How did that happen?"

"Well it all started-"

"Mikey, save the story for later," Raph said and then turned to Don," Uh, Leo leaving the lair is kind of, my fault."

"You guys are fighting like you used to, aren't you?" Don said with a glare.

"No," Raph said quickly, "It's just when I stormed out-"

"After over reacting," Mikey added and got hit on the head by Raph.

"Shut up Mikey. Well he kind of-"

"Went after you and cleared things up?" Thade guessed.

"How did you know?" Mikey asked, still rubbing his sore skull.

Thade shrugged, "I would've did the same thing."

"Despite trillions of atomic detonators in your bloodstream," Don said, his eyes narrowing even further into a glare, "I'm going to give Leo a piece of my mind!"

With that they set out, Mikey diving into Leatherhead's tale on way. Finally they reached an abandoned sub station that had been built into a high tech laboratory.

"He must be a genius," Thade said in wonder, looking at every blinking light and running machine around him.

"Hey LH, ya here!" Raph shouted.

A door to an old abandoned train car opened and out stepped the turtles' mutant friend. Thade stepped back in fear at first but then relaxed when Donatello walked up and started talking with him. Now that he took a second look he saw that this large, mutant crocodile didn't appear to be much of a threat. Leatherhead, was wearing a large lab coat and glasses.

"He looks like a peaceful scientist," Thade whispered to Mikey as Leatherhead directed them to the train car.

"Oh, he is," Mikey said and then added, "Unless you make him angry. Then, well even tanks can't stand up against him."

Thade pictured that in his head and shivered as, in the background he heard Don letting out a long and loud rant at Leo. Who they were all happy to see was awake. The blue clad turtle faced the lecture while laying in a bed that seemed to have been from a hospital. It was rusted in a lot of places though, so it had probably been fetched from a dumpster or a garbage dump. While Don ranted and Leo suffered, Leatherhead finally questioned Thade's presence. So after a short introduction and a swap of stories, Leatherhead got to what had happened to Leo.

"Well my friends, I was returning to my home when I heard someone stumbling quite a distance behind me. I thought it was a human, a sewer worker maybe so I hid, but when I saw it was Leonardo stumbling along the tunnel I stepped out to assist him in returning to your home or help him if he was injured when a section of pipes above gave out and fell."

"So that's the reason for the bump on your head," Don said at Leo with a glare.

"But Don-" Leo said.

"No. No more excuses. We're getting you home so we can get rid of those atomic detonators floating in your bloodstream," Don said, "Now get up and get moving!" Don ordered.

Raph and Mikey sighed along with Leo. They knew, when Don was like this, oh no…

* * *

"Alright sit him down," Don said to Thade, who was walking through the door carrying Leo.

"I can walk you know?" Leo said with a glare at Don, for ordering Thade to carry him and at Thade himself for obeying said order, then at the trailing Raphael and Michelangelo for agreeing with it all!

A mischievous smile grew over Don's face as he took out a syringe from a bag he was carrying, "Now you won't feel a thing."

Leo gulped, oh no…

Despite the threatening look, Don was gentle as always, dabbing alcohol on Leo's arm to be rid of bacteria, injecting the chemical and bandaging the hole made by the needle.

"There all done," Don said, ducking into his lab to put everything away.

"It didn't hurt that much did it?" Thade asked worried at the look on Leo's face.

Leo shook his head, "It's not the needle, it's the lecture."

"Yeah, like LH, Don has one heck of a temper if you manage to set it off," Raph explained.

"Oh, no," Mikey breathed, sitting down next to Leo.

"What?" Leo asked.

"I just realized," Mikey said, "I'm the only non-lecturer in the family!"

Thade laughed, "Well, I've heard Leo's and Raph's lectures and after seeing Don's I hope I never have to hear one from you. You're probably the best."

"No, he doesn't have the attention span," Don explained as he came back in, "Thade, Raph? Would you guys mind helping me move the equipment back to storage, in case we have to use the cots for another emergency?"

"Sure," they said in unison and then smiled.

"I'll go make dinner," Mikey said.

"I guess I'll go-"

"NO TRAINING!" Raph, Don and Thade yelled at the same time.

"I was going to read a book," Leo said.

"Uh huh," Raph said with a mock glare, "You trained when you had the flu bro."

"We know you too well to allow you to leave the room," Don said, "I'll turn on the cameras in here. So don't think about going anywhere, they're rigged with heat sensors now. I've learned from my past mistakes. Once you set foot beyond this couch the camera will pick up your heat signature and alert me."

"A heat sensor?" Leo thought, "How can I get around that?"

The sonar sensor had been simple, even the thumbprint door lock had been easy to get past but a thermal sensor? Hmm, he'd have to think about this.

"I know that look on your face," Raph said, "You're not going anywhere."

"Alright," Leo said and his brothers dispersed.

"He isn't going to give up that easily," Thade muttered as they followed Don into his lab.

"I know," Raph said, "The guy was 12, had the flu and still trained."

"And it only made him sicker," Don said as they started moving the equipment Don had had out to observe the possible, future atomic bombs.

* * *

After half an hour, all the turtles finished and returned to the main room, to find Leo gone!

"Check the dojo!" Raph yelled.

They did.

Nothing.

"The bathroom?" Mikey asked.

Empty.

"Did he walk by the kitchen?" Don asked.

Mikey shook his head, "Did he pass your lab?"

The other three turtles shook their heads.

"Hey guys," a voice said above them.

They all looked up and there on the edge of the second floor of their home, was their fearless leader, reading a book.

"Leo get your shell down here!" Raph and Don yelled.

Leo closed his book, tucked it under his arm and jumped down, landing gracefully on his feet, "What is it?"

"What the shell were you doing?" Don and Raph kept yelling in unison.

"I told you, I was getting a book," Leo explained.

"But how did you trick the-" Don stopped and stared up at the camera, everyone else's gaze followed it.

Mikey slapped his forehead, "So that's why he wanted the ice cream."

"You gave him ice cream? You imbecile!" Don shouted reaching out with his bo and hitting Mikey on the head.

"Ow," that hurt…" Mikey complained.

* * *

Hours later and after a messy dinner, they all split up, Leo being forbidden to leave the couch, and he was to always have a guard with him. Don invited April down to copy and look up the data he had recovered from the chemicals and these high explosive cells, also making sure to run tests on both Mikey and Leo once again to ensure the atomic detonators, as Don had named them, were all gone.

"Feeling better bro?" Raph asked, sitting down next to Leo on the couch in their main room while Thade sat on his other side.

Leo took a sip of his tea before sitting it down on the coffee table in front of them, "Yeah, I feel better."

Thade rested a hand on Leo's shoulder, "You sure scared us little brother."

Leo smiled and rested his hand on top of Thade's, smiling happily "Sorry big brother."

Raph reached out, placing his hand on Leo's knee, like he had before and this time, didn't expect any reaction but Leo turned to him and smiled before yawning from the effect of the chamomile tea Mikey had made him and leaned over to rest his head on Raph's shoulder. Raph felt himself smile. He had to agree with Thade, it was nice playing big brother once in awhile.

Just then, the door to Don's lab opened and April stepped out with a stack of papers in her hands. She looked towards the turtles and awed when Thade reached out and massaged Leo's plastron while Raph moved his head and nuzzled Leo's temple. All these things causing the blue banded leader to fall into a deep sleep.

"I think I'll be the first one you guys manage to kill with cuteness," she said with a laugh as the turtles blushed, "Anyways Don finished analyzing the tests and everything seems to be back in order. Leo and Mikey are back to normal and no longer walking atomic bombs."

"That's a relief," Thade said with a sigh.

"Definitely," Mikey commented as he walked out of Don's lab, the purple banded turtle himself following close behind.

"Hey guys, when Leo's rested some, how about a patrol tonight?" Raph asked.

"Alright!" Mikey cheered only to be shushed by Don, "You wake Leo up and Raph will make you clean the dojo for the next two weeks."

"Fine," Mikey huffed grumpily and turned around only to suddenly see his skateboard under his foot, which he ended up stepping up and fell off, making everyone laugh.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up," Mikey said with a pout.

* * *

While Leo was resting, thanks to a couple of sleeping pills Don slipped into his tea, plus the chamomile tea itself, Raph was in the dojo, training, Don was reading a book in the room he shared with Leo, while the blue clad turtle was sleeping on his futon bed, that was below Don's bed, Mikey was playing a video game in the main room of the lair and Thade was reading a book while looking into the pool that was located in the very center of their home. Raph took a few deep breaths and gave his punching bag a final hit before he stepped back and turned to the doorway. He stepped out into the main room of the lair and noticed Thade deeply studying a thick book.

"What are you reading?" Raph said suddenly through the silence making Mikey jump and drop his controller.

Raph smirked as Thade closed the book and glanced up at him, "I'm just reading this book on the cardiovascular system."

"You sound like Don," Raph said, sitting down next to him.

"Sorry," Thade said with a sideways smile, "So? Um I wanted to ask you something, if that's alright."

"Depends, what is it?" Raph asked staring down into the water as if he could make it evaporate at will.

"Well, I've noticed you seem very protective of your family, Leo particularly. Is there a reason?"

Raph frowned, "Well Leo and I are the older brothers so I suppose it's instinct really. As for why I protect Leo, well, he's done, a lot for all of us. Probably more than we know, and well, you'd protect someone more often too if seemed you were going to lose him every day."

"What are you talking about?" Thade asked with honest, innocent curiosity in his eyes.

So Raph took a deep breath and recounted when they had been hiding out at their friend April's after finding the sewers crawling with tons of Foot ninja, then how Leo was out on a training run, when he was ambushed and nearly killed, ending up in a coma that they had only barely managed to pull him out of.

"Wow and he survived?" Thade said in wonder.

"Well, he's still here ain't he?" Raph remarked, a slight amount of irritation creeping into his voice.

"So that's why you're protective of him," Thade mused.

"Well, it's just not that," Raph murmured.

"What do you mean?"

"He means that a lot of things happened to Leo," Mikey said from behind them as he joined them by the pool.

"What kind of things?"

Both the orange and red clad turtles went to answer but a new voice cut in, "I don't think there's a list long enough to describe it all."

They all turned to see Don walking towards them, his eyes drifting to the book Thade was holding. Hmm, he wondered where that had went. The purple clad turtle joined them, gazing into the pool in front of them for a long second.

"The ambush did put him in a coma, but it wasn't his only coma."

"The BattleNexus," Mikey muttered.

Don nodded.

"Battle what?"

"Dude, do we have stories for you," Mikey said, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

The next few hours had the four turtles exchanging stories, Thade revealing his past and bringing up important details he remembered about Bishop.

"That guy makes me sick," Mikey said, crossing his arms.

"Crazy scientist," Don muttered.

Raph decided to bite back his own comment and then his eyes fell onto Thade when the yellow banded swordsman reached up to adjust the shoulder strap that ran over his plastron. Then Raph's eyes lit up at a memory.

"Hey Thade, stay here, I have something for you."

The red clad turtle climbed to his feet and ducked inside the dojo. The three remaining turtles looked at one another questioningly but they all shrugged their shoulders. When Raph returned he was hiding something behind his back, when he rejoined the others he revealed the hidden object. A large sword.

"I know it isn't like the one you used," Raph said, holding it out to Thade, "But it should fit in the sheath."

"Where did you get this?" Thade asked in wonder, holding the blade up to the light.

"It was just a normal sword I reworked once. After an attack from the Foot, Leo had gotten his arm broken so I made it for him, since he couldn't use his twin katana."

"He did need a longer range weapon," Don said.

"Well see if it fits," Mikey said pointing to the empty sheath on Thade's shell.

Thade grinned amusingly and humored them all, inserting the blade into the sheath on his back. To his and everyone's surprise, it fit perfectly!

"Leo won't be mad will he?"

"Of course I'm not," Leo said, jumping down behind them, making them jump to their feet and turn only to breath sighs of relief.

"Leo," Don started but was cut off by Mikey slapping his hand over his mouth.

"You feeling better bro?" Raph asked, walking to Leo's side and placing a hand on the blue clad turtle's shoulder.

Leo smiled and rested his hand on Raph's, "Yeah, much better, thanks Raph."

They shared a smile and turned to the others.

"Ok, you're better so I suppose that we could go on a patrol," Don said after pushing Mikey's hand away.

Leo was already out the door.

"He's restless," Thade said and then they both looked up as Raph sped after him.

"They're both restless," Don said.

"Cowabunga!" Mikey said, racing after his restless brothers.

"He's just naturally hyperactive," Don explained as he and Thade walked out calmly.

* * *

An hour later the five turtles were bounding across rooftops. Raph and Mikey were having a race, seeing who could catch up to Leo first, who was way in the lead, while Don and Thade hung back.

"You're interested in medical technology and studies?" Don asked in amazement.

Thade nodded.

"Cool, you might become our doctor."

"But aren't you-"

Don shook his head, "I can only fix minor injuries, I'm no surgeon. I mean, I'm only the doctor because I have to be. I'm just an engineer, my strength is machines not people."

"Understandable," Thade said with an accepting smile.

As they finally caught up to the others, who were resting on a rooftop a few building a head Don felt a strange peace settle within him. He found himself agreeing with Raph, this new mutant turtle wasn't so bad. When they reached the rooftop they found Leo was watching while Raph and Mikey were arguing about who caught up to Leo first, the blue clad turtle himself refused to state his opinion. Don rolled his eyes and stepped forward to break up Raph and Mikey since this appeared to be entertaining Leo.

"I was so ahead of you for a full five minutes!" Mikey yelled.

"Try again, I left your sorry shell in the dust!" Raph yelled back.

"Guys," Leo called, getting up and successfully quieting the bickering brothers and separating them, "Come on, we've been out for hours, let's head home and get some sleep. Michelangelo, why don't you lead us home?"

"HA!" Mikey shouted, sticking his tongue at Raph.

Thade and Don rolled their eyes. They all stepped to the edge of the building and spotted a manhole in the alleyway below.

"Let's go dudes!" Mikey shouted.

Then Thade froze.

"What is it Thade?" Raph asked.

The yellow masked turtle turned and drove his sword through Leo's plastron.

* * *

Didn't you just love this chapter? Come on. Tell me. Did you? Well that's it for chapter 6, hope it evoked emotion. Ok, well I've got this goal in mind. This story has 46 reviews and my most popular story "You Have No Idea" has 56. I'd like to top that record so if I can get 11 more reviews in the next two chapters I'll have reached that goal. So I need readers out there to review. I've tried cliffhangers, sneak peeks, I've tried giving good endings and I've tried, here, to make people angry. I'm not sure if it's working or not. Please tell me? You'll make this poor teen girl feel really good. And I must admit, with all these reviews I must say, I think my writing confidence has finally gone up. I admit it, this is a good story.

I still think "Where's Leo?" is my worst one though.

* * *

Anyways, here's a preview for chapter 7:

"Here Don I found the reports," Thade said, handing a few papers to the purple clad turtle, who was hunched over at his computer.

"How's Mikey?" Don asked.

"Still sleeping," Thade said, "How is-?"

Don frowned deeply and took a deep breath, determination filling his gaze as he gazed over the reports, "He's by the pool."

Thade nodded and slipped out the purple clad turtle's lab, spotting the hunched figure by the pool. The yellow masked turtle walked dup behind the figure and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You ok?"

"How is he?" the other asked.

"Like Mikey, he's sleeping," Thade answered, sitting down and leaning over to let his fingers run lightly through the water.

"I'll go talk to him."

"He's just exhausted, he'll be fine."

Yeah, said the bloodstains that covered the medical area.

* * *

Uh oh. I wonder what happened? Oh wait, I already know. ^_^ Sorry the preview is so short but I just don't want to give too much away. It would ruin the whole story, especially the upcoming ending.

Well good for you few that answered Leatherhead from the last chapter. You were right. Bishop was in Massachusetts so he couldn't have had Leo. All the other clones except Thade died, though that is an interesting idea. Maybe there's a sequel there? Who knows?

PLEASE REVIEW! My goal is at least 57 reviews. To make this my most popular story ever. Well, maybe, so far.

~Moonsetta


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own TMNT.

* * *

For the surrounding turtles, each had one reaction, differing from the others' reactions.

The orange masked turtle's mouth fell open, before a strange gasp and whine came from his throat as he saw the metal sword glint in the neon lights of New York City as the blade traveled towards and through his older brother's plastron, cracks appearing in the yellow armor, like a broken vase. Don just went numb and he suddenly felt like he was standing a few feet away, watching himself watching the scene. Although he did nothing in that short second before the explosion, his eyes and mind took in every detail. A gasp came from his younger brother, the metal of the long sword, held tightly in Thade's hands, reflected the shining light momentarily before it plunged into Leo's chest. Next, Don expected blood. Perhaps he saw it, the geyser that expelled from the slice, or maybe he didn't. As for previously mentioned explosion, Raphael decided that the second lasted too long and he went blind as a wall of black, red shaded blood overcame his eyes.

His mind echoed and growled one word, "Kill."

Thade on the other hand, knew what he was doing. Prepared for the sudden attack he turned and caught Raph's sais on his long sword. Raph was growling, his sais aimed for Thade's throat and as the growling echoed out of his very soul he spoke through that growl, "YOU BAS-"

"THAT'S NOT LEO!" Thade yelled, applying pressure to the sais, forcing Raph to turn to the sprawled out body over the cracked rooftop.

Don and Mikey took it in as well. Leo, well, Leo's form, flickered slightly before dissipating completely and revealing the image of a lifeless Foot soldier, his crimson blood pouring out of the wound on his chest. Don looked at a broken device on the front of the uniform. A cloaking device. Before any turtle could speak, a voice bellowed out over them.

"Fools, you're too predictable."

They turned quickly and drew their weapons, Thade retrieving his new, blood-stained sword and pointing it at the shadows, "Reveal yourself!"

To Thade's surprise, a metal clad warrior stepped out from the shadows, a feminine voice speaking from within the helmet, "It seems much has changed in such a short time."

"WHERE'S LEO?" Raph yelled stepping ahead of the others, a familiar, warning growl escaping his throat.

Karai remained silent, but raised her hand and signaled for her Foot soldiers to surround the four turtles, which they did. She took a minute to gaze over the turtles, she couldn't really see Raphael and this new turtle agent Bishop had told her about, for they were hiding in the overhanging shadow of the next building, but she didn't care who this new turtle was.

"Attack!" she yelled and the black mass poured over the green skinned shell backed figures as they turned to face their adversaries.

"Friends of yours?" Thade yelled over the clash of steel and wood.

"No way dude!" Mikey said as he knocked four soldiers back, "We never make ninja friends, well except for you."

"HUN!" Karai screamed and like magic, the leader of the purple dragons appeared. His large frame casting a long shadow.

Oh, Raph had been expecting and waiting for this. He looked around to make sure the others were doing ok before darting his way through the crowd of black to the big meat head. The red clad turtle slashed out with his sais at lightning rapid speed, grinning as he felt the blade slightly cut flesh and then as an arm bone snapped underneath the force of the red wrapped pommel. At this point though, Hun was not happy. He growled and dodged the swinging blades until he saw an opening and lashed out with his uninjured arm, knocking Raphael's sais across the rooftop before lashing out again and grabbing the surprised turtle by his throat.

"It's over freak," Hun said with a smile as the turtle began struggling to breathe as the giant's hand clutched his throat tighter and tighter as each second rolled past.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY LITTLE BROTHER!" a new voice yelled.

Hun turned only to have a foot slammed into his face, making him stumble, curse and toss Raph across the rooftop after his sais. Managing to regain his senses, the red masked turtle glanced up, only to find a blade pointed between his eyes. Then he saw a shadow behind the Foot ninja holding that blade and before either could really notice, the Foot soldier lay on the other side of the rooftop, a hole in his torso. Raph glanced up and met yellow masked eyes and a small smile before a hand was offered to him. He took the offered hand and rose to his feet.

"You know, I'm not going to think you're overprotective again," Thade said to Raph before turning to catch a blade aimed for his head.

"Why's that?" Raph asked, scooping up his sais and knocking out the Foot soldier.

Thade pointed across the rooftop where, Leo, the real Leo, was holding a chain around Hun's throat as the heavy weight man struggled to get air.

"No one hurts my little brothers!" Leo growled.

"Leonardo!" Karai shouted, diving towards the blue masked turtle.

Leo jumped out of the way as Karai's sword came down, aimed for his skull. Her blade instead cut into Hun's arm. Alright, he had tried but the leader of the Purple Dragons did NOT like working for Karai. Though the turtles had been quite a thorn in his side, Karai had been a bigger one and after her father's banishment in space, Hun could vouch that she was slowly losing her mind. He decided he didn't want to do this. If there was anyone that was annoying him, it was Karai. Sure, he would destroy the turtles in time.

All these thoughts went on in his head as the Lady Shredder herself clashed swords with the turtles' leader. With Karai distracted Hun snuck up and grabbed her by the neck, unfortunately, earning a slash from her gauntlet in the process. Then Leo turned to catch an incoming sword.

"Hun, what is the meaning of this?" Karai demanded after she broke from Hun's grasp.

"Let's go," Leo yelled to the others.

They all nodded and got into a circle before they escaped, Raph throwing down a smoke bomb to provide cover. They took off across the rooftops before jumping down into an alley as Foot soldiers continued jumping across the rooftops. The turtles all breathed sighs of relief before they all turned to Leo, who was leaning up against the wall, breathing heavily.

"Leo?" Raph asked, stepping towards his older brother before he was aware of a slight pain in his shoulder, like a bug bite, before he could turn to discover what it was he stumbled, his vision grew blurry and after hearing his name yelled a few times, he felt his body go numb and saw his eyesight go black.

* * *

Hours later they were all back home. Thade and Leo patching up Mikey, who had gotten the worst of the injuries during the fight while Don looked over the unconscious Raphael. After an inspection he found a small needle in his shoulder.

"They must have drugged him," Don thought.

"Leo, you go help Don with Raph," Thade said noticing that Leo kept glancing over at Raph and frowning at the bloodstains that covered the cot and floor, "I'll take Mikey to his room."

The orange masked turtle had long ago passed out during the medical inspection. Leo nodded and quickly shuffled to Raph's side. The blue clad turtle's eyes catching Don's and asking if there was anything he could do. Don smiled in exasperation, those two stubborn over protective older brothers of his…

"Thade?" Don called.

"Yes Don?" the yellow masked swordsman asked as he had just reached the doorway with the youngest turtle in his arms, head pillowed against his plastron.

"My laptop's on the coffee table in the main room, I need you to look up substances that heighten cell production and search for reports of the Foot"

Thade nodded and continued on out the door.

"Leo, you can help by washing off the dried blood."

A minute of uneasy silence passed by, which was to say, very unusual for the level headed turtles, if there was a silence between them, it was a comforting silence. As Leo wiped away the dried blood from Raph's very few, very minor wounds, he cringed as the they un-clotted and started bleeding again.

Leo gulped, "He is going to be ok isn't he?"

Don sighed, with a slight annoyed tone to his voice, "He'll be fine, the chemical they had on that needle will be dissolved by his red blood cells, this chemical is mostly for quick death and that's when the victim is heavily damaged."

"Don you're not reassuring me," Leo muttered.

Don shook his head while laughing, "You sound like Raph when he was in here fussing over you when you slipped into that coma months ago."

Leo made no comment, just kept watching his immediate younger brother and Don sighed in annoyance before grabbing a chemical filled syringe from a cabinet and injecting it into Raph's bloodstream, "It's just a temporary chemical. It's being dissolved now. It only makes his blood cells unable to clot. Bleeding out through these small wounds is nearly impossible."

It seemed that none of this was getting to the turtles' leader. Don sighed again, man he was doing that a lot lately, "Look, just take him up to his room, he'll be fine after a good few hours of sleep. The blue masked turtle nodded and lifted his younger brother into his arm before exiting Don's lab.

"And Leo," Don called after him, "If you don't mind I need some supplies from the store would you mind-"

"Of course I'll get them Don, just make a list," Leo said, maybe he needed to get out after all.

The leader glanced down at his little brother in his arms and shivered. He couldn't lose any of his brothers, it would destroy him. He knew.

* * *

Hours later, Leo returned after getting the food and medical supplies they needed and sat down by the pool, staring at his reflection. The worry on his face was like a giant neon glowing sign. Thade glanced over from where he sat on the couch and raised an eye ridge at the weird behavior, but he decided not to press the issue. This family was close, he could tell. He found the reports and printed them out on a printer that sat on a table on the far side of the room behind a corner. The reason for this was, they needed it behind something because between Leo and Raph's arguments and Mikey running in fear of his red masked older brother after pranking him, it was one of the common things that got broken. The yellow masked turtle grabbed the papers but kept his eyes on Leo until he walked into Don's lab.

"Here Don I found the reports," Thade said, handing a few papers to the purple clad turtle, who was hunched over at his computer.

"How's Mikey?" Don asked.

"Still sleeping," Thade said, "How is-?"

Don frowned deeply and took a deep breath, determination filling his gaze as he gazed over the reports, "He's by the pool."

Thade nodded and slipped out of the purple clad turtle's lab, spotting the hunched figure by the pool. The yellow masked turtle walked up behind the figure and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You ok?"

"How is he?" the other asked.

"Like Mikey, he's sleeping," Thade answered, sitting down and leaning over to let his fingers run lightly through the water.

"I'll go talk to him."

"He's just exhausted, he'll be fine."

Yeah, said the bloodstains that covered the medical area.

* * *

If any sentence could hold a multitude of sarcasm it would be the following. As Leo took each step towards his younger brother's room, he felt guilt eating away at his soul and no one expected this right?

The three younger turtles knew that their blue clad brother had a bad habit of blaming himself. They knew how intense the sense of guilt and fear could be. He could get depressed for days on in, like when he had been ambushed by the Foot and lost his katanas, or he could become angry and hateful, like after they successfully defeated the Shredder on his spaceship he had planned to use to return to his home world. The freaky alien utrom had been banished to a frozen asteroid belt, unfortunately, his adopted daughter, Karai, had taken up the mantle of the Shredder. A being that just couldn't seem to die. Leo could shout out all the emotions in his mind but they were already known by his family.

Just as Leo reached the doorway that lead into his immediate younger brother's room he stopped and took a deep breath. Raph had been asleep for hours, 10 to be exact, he was in danger of falling into a coma. The leader could've almost laughed at the irony, after all he himself was the one who had managed to fall into three comas in about a year. He glanced up at the darkened doorway and took another deep breath. He took one step forward, his mouth drawn into a hard frown.

"Uh, what hit me?" a voice grumbled from the doorway.

* * *

When Leo shouted that Raph was awake the remainder of the family finally breathed their sighs of relief, all except Michelangelo, who was woken up by the shout while having an amazing dream about being able to grow fresh hot pizza from slices of cheese. He had become a billionaire! Minutes later they were all gathered in the main room, Mikey, Raph and Leo sat on the couch, Don claimed the arm chair and Thade leaned over the back of the couch, watching the younger turtles converse. Once everyone said how relieved they were and once Raph reassured them, mostly Leo and Don, that he was fine they finally turned to the battle they just had and how everything had transpired. First of all they turned to Leo, wanting him to explain his disappearing act first.

"Well I noticed Raph and Mikey having that race so I thought I go scout ahead to see if there was any trouble. I heard a muffled yell from an alley a few building over and I was going to go there to check it out when something big and heavy hit me in the back of the head."

"You didn't tell me this why!" Don yelled, "You could have a concussion!"

So while Leo continued Don half listened and half examined Leo's skull for any sign of damage. Finding nothing but a small bruise he sat back down after he was certain that Leo had no major head injuries.

Leo continued on, "When I woke up I saw you four battling and I found I had been tied up, with very weak rope and there were two ninja guarding me a few rooftops over from the fight, I grew very angry when I saw Hun grab Raph. At that time, I also noticed that one of the ninja guarding me had my swords."

"Which no doubt made you angry," Raph said.

Leo smiled sheepishly, "Well, you know me."

"All too well," Don said, "Which is why you will not be doing anything strenuous for the next 24 hours."

"But Don-"

"No buts, you, will rest for the next 24 hours, NO TRAINING! Raph will rest for the next three days."

"Three days!" Raph shouted, "Are you crazy?"

"Doctors orders," Don said with narrowed eyes, "And Mikey will be resting for the next two days."

"Yes! Video game marathon!"

"I must say Leo, after watching you fight Hun I don't think I'll call Raphael overprotective ever again," Thade said with an amused smile.

"Yeah, dude, you were after Hun like a lion after an antelope," Mikey said while rolling his eyes.

"I was?' Leo asked with a confused expression.

Don sighed, "He's always like this," he said while shaking his head, "Now if we're all through, I'd suggest we all get some sleep."

"Alright see everyone tomorrow," Mikey said, getting up and walking towards his room before he stopped and turned back around towards the other four turtles. He noticed Thade looking around the room uneasily.

"Hey bros, where's Thade going to sleep?"

The others looked back at the yellow masked turtle.

"He can have my bed," Leo said, "I'll sleep on the couch."

"No," Raph said, "He can sleep in my room, I'll take the couch."

"Alright stop right now before this ends in a fight," Don said, putting himself between his older brothers.

"Oh I'm ok with sleeping on the couch, anywhere really," Thade said.

"But bro," Mikey said as he walked over to the yellow masked swordsman, "If you're going to stay here you'll need a bed, a room."

"Leo?" Don asked, a certain tone in his voice that Raph and Mikey realized.

"Don, don't," Raph warned.

"I'm sorry Leo, but the room is empty since we cleaned it out and technically you are the head of the clan now, so…" Don trailed off as the purple clad turtle's eyes drifted to his blue clad brother before slowly traveling to the one bedroom on the first level of their home, to what used to be their father's room.

After his passing and after the brothers had healed from the loss, they had cleaned out the room. The only thing remaining in there was a single picture of them as younger children that they couldn't bring themselves to take down and the occasional spider web with the eight legged creatures that called the spun fibers their home.

"No, I-I can't," Leo muttered, his head tilting forward and a shadow hiding his eyes.

Mikey was all for offering the room to Thade but a look from his red masked older brother had him quickly closing his beak with a snap. Raph turned his attention to Leo after shooting a don't-you-dare-say-it glare at his baby brother.

"Leo," Raph said, an intensity in his voice and meaning only known by the red and blue masked turtles.

Leo took a deep breath and let his body relax.

"I'm ok," Leo said back with his eyes.

"Well…" Mikey said, drawing out a thinking sound while he let his thoughts jumble around, "You could bunk with me or Raph."

"Mikey there's no room in your room since you stuck that drum set, an air hockey table and a basketball hoop in there," Don said while rolling his eyes.

"Oh yeah," Mikey said with a sheepish smile.

"Raph?" Don asked.

Raph pressed his lips together in thought before he sighed, "Uh look, Thade it's not that I think you're going to sneak up on us when we're asleep and well it's just that-"

A hand on his arm made him stop, everyone turned their attention to the yellow masked turtle, "It's ok, I understand. It's alright if you don't fully trust me. I kind of dropped in unexpectedly into your lives after all."

"Hey," Don said, "I have an idea."

"Don, that happens every two seconds of the day," Raph remarked while smirking.

Don shot back with an unmasked pouting frown, "Well since neither you or Mikey can have Thade stay with you and we don't bring up, _that_ room. Well all I can say is that Thade will have to stay with me and Leo."

"But your room's overloaded with more junk than mine," Mikey complained, "You guys don't have enough room either."

"Which is why I suggest either me or Leo move in with either you or Raph."

"You'd have to find a place to store all your inventions," Mikey said, "Cause Raph has the smallest room and I have no room."

Off to the side Leo looked towards Raph and when their gazes met Raph nodded his head and a soft smile spread over his face. Leo returned the smile and stood up from where he had been sitting on the couch.

"Don, since it would take hours to move all your stuff anyways, I think it would be better if I was the one to move, I don't have as much stuff anyways."

"True," Don said but frowned as his two older brothers made their way up to Leo's and Don's room, Mikey quickly running after them.

"Something wrong?" Thade asked, walking over to the purple clad turtle where he had gotten to his feet and leaned against the back of the arm chair.

"Huh?" Don asked at first and then his eyes lit in enlightenment as a slight feeling of slight disappointment began to snake his way into his gaze, "Oh, it's just I've always shared a room with Leo. I mean, I couldn't share one with Raph or Mikey, they'd break everything I would try to build."

"I promise to be careful," Thade said a humorous smile.

A small smile lit Don's face, "It's just I-"

"Let me guess, Leo's the one you're closest to?"

"Well, I guess, I mean, there's never any hope at getting Mikey to understand my inventions and Raph can keep up if I'm talking about the BattleShell or ShellCycle but not anything else. If it's mathematics or sciences Leo's really the only one I can manage to explain anything to. I know he doesn't understand half of what I say but we have similar interests in literature and music so…"

Thade let a knowing smile cross his face, "You miss him already." It wasn't a question.

Don felt a large smile tug at his lips, "Yeah."

A crash suddenly came from the room above followed by a shout of, "MIKEY!"

"What did you break this time knucklehead!" Don shouted as he jumped up to the second level of their home. Thade shifted uneasily in the long quiet that followed until-

BAM!

"GET YOUR SHELL BACK HERE MIKEY!"

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO BREAK IT! SOMEONE HELP!"

The yellow masked turtle watched in amusement as the orange clad youngest turtle was chased out of the bedroom, off the ledge of the second floor and around the first floor by his immediate older brother. The purple clad turtle himself had an annoyed and angry look on his face as he held back his bo staff, ready for a strike at his little brother's head. Thade laughed and then jumped to the second floor of the turtles' home, offering his assistance to Raph and Leo at moving the blue clad turtle's stuff to the room next door.

"You think Don's still chasing Mikey?" Raph asked as they moved Leo's book shelf.

"OW!" yelled a voice from the first floor.

"That's a yes," Leo said as they set down the book shelf in Raph's room, the red clad turtle carrying in a few books that had fallen off during the move.

"Wow, you do have the smallest room," Thade said, glancing around the room, "What about your bed Leo?"

Leo smiled, "You can have it."

"But-"

"It's just a futon," Leo insisted.

"I have a mattress you can use," Raph said, turning to his closet, "Don insisted I keep one for when I had an injury and couldn't sleep in my hammock."

"Is this everything from your room Leo?" Thade asked.

"Yes, thanks for helping bro."

Thade smiled, "No problem little brother," he said, reaching over and rubbing Leo's head affectionately.

Leo smiled back as Thade walked out and towards the sound of struggling in the distance. Raph felt his stomach twist a bit in jealousy. His older brother noticed this time and set a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Raph," Leo said, stepping around to face his younger brother.

The red clad turtle glanced down at the ground, then up at Leo, "I won't."

* * *

Later that night, all the brothers managed to sleep, except the genius turtle, who tossed and turned in his bed, knowing that the one sleeping on the futon below his own bed was not the blue clad turtle he had called his eldest brother forever. He took a few deep breaths before jumping at a touch on his arm.

"Hey, easy it's just me," Thade said as he looked up at Don, "Are you ok?"

"Oh sorry if I woke you up Thade."

"It's ok," the yellow masked turtle said calmly, "I'm worried about you, you haven't slept all night."

"All night?" Don asked and looked at a clock he had sitting at a desk across the room.

3:00am

Don sighed and sat up before burying his face in his hands, "Sorry," he muttered.

Thade rolled his eyes, "Enough saying sorry."

Don almost said sorry again but caught himself and kept his beak shut, "I apologize then Thade, it's just, I'm used to having my oldest, well older brother here."

Thade sighed, "I can't thank you and your family enough for taking me in and saving my life."

"Hey," Don said with a smile, "You saved Leo's and Raph's lives, we're all grateful to you as well."

Thade glanced at the ground shyly, "It was nothing, I just knew that I was like you four and my master was out to destroy you and your family, I thought it would only be a matter of time before he attempted to destroy me as well. I just couldn't let Leo perish in the flaming warehouse or let that Foot soldier drive his sword through Raph's skull."

"You sound just like Leo," Don said.

Thade smiled, "Well technically I am him," then the yellow masked turtle frowned, "After all, I'm nothing more than a clone."

"No, you're more than that," Don protested.

"Bishop always told me I was nothing but a slave to him."

"Look Thade, sure you have 90 percent of Leo's DNA and the remaining 10 percent is made of the rest of out DNA, but you're not any of us. You're your own person."

Thade smiled, "Thanks Don, I really needed to hear that."

Don shook his head in disbelief, this turtle was like Leo, keeping those emotions of his locked away. The purple masked turtle yawned and laid his head back on his pillow.

"Sweet dreams Don," Thade whispered before climbing back into the futon below.

"Good night," Don said and then added, "Big brother."

* * *

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed chapter 7.

* * *

In Chapter 8:

The five turtles sat on the edge of a rooftop, staring over the city as bright exploding fireworks lit up the horizon. After the bright lights and explosions turned into smoke and silence the family was half asleep, their strange green skinned and shell-backed forms hidden in the shadows. The youngest turtle had fallen asleep in the eldest's lap as said turtle reached down to run his baby brother's head affectionately. The yellow masked eldest shifted slightly, a half conscious purple masked turtle half leaning against him and half leaning against his blue clad older brother.

"So that's when I turned and used the dragon punch!" the red masked turtle on the other side of the blue clad turtle said, a smile full of pride on his face.

The blue masked turtle smiled proudly at his red masked younger brother as he continued on, talking about his latest leading run. An hour later they all decided to head back to their home in the sewers of New York City. Thade scooped Mikey into his arms as Leo turned and scooped a now sleeping Donatello into his arms. Raph glanced back at the yellow masked turtle curiously as he whispered something to Leo. It had been a year since they had met the yellow clad turtle, but he had slowly built his way into their lives. Although he was made of mostly Leo's DNA the now eldest of the turtle team found his passion in medical studies and technology, he had become closest to Don because of this and was now their doctor, just as the purple clad turtle had predicted a year previously. Despite the year of familiarity though, the four brothers still had issues. Raph still let emotions of envy overcome him when he thought Leo spent too much time with Thade, so the blue masked turtle had to be careful of how much time he spent with his immediate older brother and how much time he spent with his immediate younger brother.

Don shifted a bit in Leo's arms and snuggled closer to his older brother. Leo sighed, that was another thing, Don had made it clear that he missed their nightly talks where they would discuss music, literature and just really talk about the day, so Leo had to make sure to spend time as well with his purple clad brother. Throughout all this though…Leo glanced over at Thade where Mikey was mumbling something about chocolate covered bananas. The leader shook his head but lead his brothers into an alleyway, but as their feet hit the cold concrete a click sounded further in the alley followed by a bang that split the crisp night air into wisps of bloodstained wind.

* * *

Ok reviews please? Oh I'm sorry I never put this up, flames are welcome, well actually they're quite encouraged. ^_^

~Moonsetta


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own TMNT, but Thade IS MINE!

* * *

The five turtles sat on the edge of a rooftop, staring over the city as bright exploding fireworks lit up the horizon. After the bright lights and explosions turned into smoke and silence the family was half asleep, their strange green skinned and shell-backed forms hidden in the shadows. The youngest turtle had fallen asleep in the eldest's lap as said turtle reached down to rub his baby brother's head affectionately. The yellow masked eldest shifted slightly, a half conscious purple masked turtle half leaning against him and half leaning against his blue clad older brother.

"So that's when I turned and used the dragon punch!" the red masked turtle on the other side of the blue clad turtle said, a smile full of pride on his face.

The blue masked turtle smiled proudly at his red masked younger brother as he continued on, talking about his latest leading run. An hour later they all decided to head back to their home in the sewers of New York City. Thade scooped Mikey into his arms as Leo turned and scooped a now sleeping Donatello into his arms. Raph glanced back at the yellow masked turtle curiously as he whispered something to Leo. It had been a year since they had met the yellow clad turtle, but he had slowly built his way into their lives.

Although he was made of mostly Leo's DNA the now eldest of the turtle team found his passion in medical studies and technology, he had become closest to Don because of this and was now their doctor, just as the purple clad turtle had predicted a year previously. Despite the year of familiarity though, the four brothers still had issues. Raph still let emotions of envy overcome him when he thought Leo spent too much time with Thade, so the blue masked turtle had to be careful of how much time he spent with his immediate older brother and how much time he spent with his immediate younger brother.

Don shifted a bit in Leo's arms and snuggled closer to him. Leo sighed, that was another thing, Don had made it clear that he missed their nightly talks where they would discuss music, literature and just really talk about the day, so Leo had to make sure to spend time as well with his purple clad brother. Throughout all this though…Leo glanced over at Thade where Mikey was mumbling something about chocolate covered bananas. The leader shook his head but lead his brothers into an alleyway, but as their feet hit the cold concrete a click sounded further in the alley followed by a bang that split the crisp night air into wisps of bloodstained wind.

* * *

Don't you think that last bit was kind of poetic? I've got to use that line some time in the future.

Reader armed with 3 foot long club: Back to the story!

Ok O_O' Whatever you say.

* * *

"Stupid purple dragons," a voice mumbled as a figure with a hockey mask on melted out of the shadows.

"What was that?" Don asked with a yawn as Leo set him on his feet.

"Casey!" Raph shouted as their turtles' vigilante human friend stepped into the light, dragging along a member of the Purple Dragons gang behind him while tossing a small silver gun into a dented up trashcan at the side of the alley.

"Hey guys!" Casey shouted back, "You guys saw the fireworks too huh?"

"Yeah," they all said.

The yellow masked turtle glanced down at the youngest turtle, still asleep in his arms, "Makes me wonder what it takes to get Mikey up in the morning."

"I'm positive he could sleep through NASA launching a rocket right next to his ear," Don said while rolling his and eyes and yawning.

"That's your job tomorrow Raph," Leo said.

"Hey, why's it my job?" Raph said with a pout.

"It's part of your leadership training," the blue clad turtle declared.

"Uptight preachy jerk," Raph muttered.

"What was that Raphael?" Leo asked.

"So what are you doing out here? Aren't you usually with April?" Thade asked Casey since, Raph and Leo were 'debating', Mikey was still asleep and Don was dozing on his feet.

"Well yeah," Casey said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head, "You see-"

"ARNOLD CASEY JONES! THERE YOU ARE!"

April came stomping into the alley, saying a friendly hello to the turtles before leveling Casey with a glare, "You were supposed to meet me at the store an hour ago!"

"Well I-"

April narrowed her eyes and let her slight frown become deeper as she dragged Casey away. As the turtles listened they only made out Casey's begging in the distance.

"Ow! Ow! Hey, not the ear! I need that you know. Ow!"

"Weirdo," Thade thought before glancing towards the debating blue and red clad turtles, "If you two love birds are done debating could one of you catch Don before he falls on his shell?"

"Hey," Don said a long yawn, "I'm fine."

Thade groaned and shook his head, "I'm not sure who's the worst patient out of all of you."

"We're not bad patients," Raph protested.

"Mikey runs from a needle, Leo insists that a gash in his side six inches long and three inches deep is a minor scratch, you never tell me when you're hurt and Don forgets to eat half the time," the yellow clad turtle said while rolling his eyes.

"I'm not even hurt half the time," Leo insisted.

Thade glared, "I'm never going to get through to either you or Raph am I?"

Raph and Leo grinned and spoke in unison, "Nope."

"We should get home," Don said with another yawn as he stumbled.

Leo and Raph both reached out to catch him.

"I agree," Thade said and then motioned to the turtle asleep in his arms, "Snorlax here needs to go to bed."

"I'll get Don," Raph said scooping his purple masked brother into his arms.

"Now let's head home," Leo said, lifting the manhole cover hidden by a pile of cardboard boxes in the alley, watching as his one older brother and three younger brothers disappeared into the darkness of the sewers they called home.

* * *

"Michelangelo this is the third time I've had to reset your knee, what do you do to have a dislocation every few weeks?" Thade asked, his yellow masked eyes narrowing at the youngest turtle who was sitting up on a plastic cot in the corner of the lair where the yellow masked turtle had set up a medical area.

Mikey hummed with a slight cringe as he tried to move his leg and felt pain ripple up his spine, "I was just out being the Turtle Titan and riding my skateboard around that new section of the sewers."

"The one with the 500 foot drops?" asked a new voice as another turtle walked into the makeshift hospital.

"Hey Raph," Thade said as he put a brace around Mikey's knee.

"Well I did come in to see how the knucklehead was doing," Raph said with an accusing glare aimed at his baby brother before frowning and raising his hand to his head, "But now I think I need an aspirin."

"You and me both," Thade said, readjusting the brace a bit.

"Leo's going to freak isn't he?" Mikey asked.

"No, not right now Mikey," Leo said as he walked in behind Raph, "We'll discuss this later, now it's 2:00am, we should all be in bed. I can't believe that for once Don's the one actually sleeping."

Raph smirked, "Well he was busy all day yesterday and we're out of coffee."

"We're out of coffee?" Thade asked in shock.

"Hey, we'll pick some up later tonight ok?" Leo said in an attempt to calm his older brother down.

This was one of many things that shocked the four younger turtles, the yellow masked brother they had met a year before, although he mostly shared Leo's DNA, was quite different from their blue clad brother. Thade had tasted tea, and despised it immediately but he had, like Don, become addicted to the caffeine induced liquid known as coffee. They also found that although he knew ninjitsu, it was quite different from their own style so it took awhile before they could function as a five member team. He also, unlike Leo, didn't like excessive training although he was very appreciative for the studies and exercises the team taught him. He would rather though, have his face buried in a book or staring through a microscope at amebas, cells and microscopic organisms. Although his intelligence was near to Don's, his specialty was medical procedures, freeing up the burden from the purple clad turtle, which said turtle was thankful for.

As the turtles headed off to bed, Mikey attempting to remember how to use crutches, they all reflected on the past year in their own way. They all said goodnight as they headed off to their rooms. The year had in no way, been easy on them, especially with a new member on their team. After that short period of drama, misinterpretations and over reactions, life had seemed to settle down. The period of clinging and mistrust had evaporated from their lives as they slowly adjusted. Mikey yawned and hobbled into his room on his crutches, smiling when he remembered that he had to stay off of his leg for two weeks. Video game marathon, movie marathon, stuffing his face with sweets. He couldn't wait. As he climbed into bed he glanced at the doorway, noticing two pairs of eyes staring back at him in the darkness.

"Night bros," he called and settled down into his bed, which he had to struggle to climb up into considering it was about five feet off the ground. Maybe he should have Don lower it for the time being? No, then he'd get long stares from his brothers for thinking logically.

"Good night Mikey," the two voices said from the doorway as the two turtles backed out of the doorway.

Outside, one turtle turned to the other, "He'll be demanding that we wait on him hand and foot."

"True, but Raph, it's Mikey."

"Yeah, you're right Leo, come on, we better hit the hay."

The blue and red clad ninja turtles walked to the edge of the second level of their home and the older turtle glanced down at the closed room.

"You thinking about sensei?" Raph asked with a curious glance at his older brother.

"Yeah," Leo whispered, "It's easier now."

An uneasy silence settled over them before Raph broke it with a yawn, "Uh, I'm going to bed, night bro."

"Goodnight Raphael," Leo said, his eyes still on the door on the first floor.

Raph sighed as he turned away from his older brother before making his way across the second floor of their home. He stopped at Don and Thade's room, glancing inside and seeing the two both sitting on Thade's futon and comparing something they had written in the notebooks they were holding.

"See, here the neutron count is much more than the electron count," Don said as he pointed at something in his notebook.

"Yes, and the proton count in this subject is much too low, this element is unstable," Thade said, pointing to different places on the sheet of paper.

Raph shook his head and ducked back outside the room before coming to the last doorway and slipping inside. It seemed the same as ever. Magazines, sports equipment and random odds and ends littered one side of the room. He climbed into his hammock, staring at the ceiling before turning on his side and staring at the other side of the room. A futon was pushed against the wall. He sighed and turned onto his shell again, staring at the ceiling. It was indeed strange how so many things had changed in the past year but the red clad turtle assumed that it was all for the best. He bet Leo was still staring at the door to what used to be their father's room. After their sensei's passing and their healing they had cleaned the room out. The three younger turtles had tried to persuade Leo to take the room, since he had already been sharing a room with Don at the time but he refused. They didn't question him about it again until Thade had 'dropped' into their lives.

Now Don and Thade were the ones to share the room. Leo had still refused to take the empty room though so he had moved into Raph's room. Sure it was the smallest but that was because the hothead really didn't need that much space. With another braniac in the home though, inventions began clogging up the genius turtles' room and they couldn't seem to stop inventing and building things. Well, in Thade's case, growing. Experiments with plants and microscopic organisms while Don finally put all his engineering knowledge into full drive. Things were like that for four months when Leo began considering taking the old room, although he did admit they needed a new room to store all the two braniacs' inventions, so it came to a choice, he could either take the room, which the others were still insisting he take, since he was now head of the clan, or allow the room to be used for the mechanical and biological devices and experiments slowly pouring out of Thade's and Don's room.

Raph heard footsteps outside and smiled as he saw his older brother walk inside, "Heh, figured you'd stand there all night."

Leo smiled and walked towards the futon, sitting down on the edge as Raph sat up in his hammock.

"What is it?" the red clad turtle asked.

Leo sighed, "I don't know. I'm just getting a weird feeling."

Raph's eyes widened, Leo's feelings, like Splinter's, were never wrong and they always meant trouble.

"Who's it centered around?" Raph asked.

"I can't tell," Leo admitted with a shrug, "I've tried meditating on it but-nothing."

Raph hummed for a second, "We'll tell the others in the morning, don't worry, whatever it is, we'll get through it, like always."

Leo glanced up and the two turtles shared a smile.

"You better get some sleep," Leo said, "You're leading training tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah," Raph said with a yawn before laying back down in his hammock.

Leo smiled softly and got to his feet. He walked to the doorway and looked back at the futon resting against the wall. He sighed forlornly and then jumped down onto the first level of their home. He glanced at the kitchen, the light had been left on. The leader ducked inside, turned it off and then walked to the large doors across from the kitchen. He pulled them open, then the cold air raced out and around him. He glanced inside, a single bookshelf was set against the wall, a wooden desk sat against another wall and a thin black mattress sat in the corner that was laying adjacent to a small table. Leo breathed the air of the room in and smiled. He glanced over to the desk and saw the small shrine they had built for their father. The candles there were brand new. One of his brothers must have been there earlier. The blue clad turtle smiled a bit brighter and backed out of the room. He admitted that it was easier now.

With the little amount of furniture their sensei had owned they had agreed it would be easier to remake the room as a kind of tribute to their father. They each went in when they needed to. Outside, Leo glanced back at the kitchen and then at the doors beside it. He smiled in humor, if those two genius turtles kept all this up they would need more than just that storage room they had dug out. It seems another additional room would need to be added soon. Trying to fight a yawn Leo headed back upstairs, looking in on Mikey, Thade and Don before slipping into he and Raph's room.

* * *

An hour later Raph awoke to the sound of shuffling feet outside. He looked over, Leo was still asleep. He frowned and climbed out of his hammock before darting outside and catching the fleeing glimpse of one of his brothers as they slipped outside into the sewers.

The large shape made the shadow figure's identity clear.

"Thade," Raph murmured and took off after him.

* * *

The yellow masked turtle pushed aside the manhole cover and breathed in the city air as he climbed out of the sewer he and his family called home. He quickly replaced the manhole cover and shot up the side of the building, not slowing until he was at the edge and staring out across the city. He released a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding and sat down on the edge of the rooftop, relaxing while staring out over the city.

"So why are you up here?" a voice from behind him said.

Thade smiled and glanced back at his red clad younger brother, "Hey Raph."

Raph's eyes quickly took in the surrounding area, sensing no danger or humans nearby he joined his older brother, both staring out over the city.

"It's been a crazy year," Thade commented.

Raph chuckled, "I think that's the understatement of the year bro."

Thade chuckled, "Well, craziest adventure I've ever had."

"Well, we've been in some weird situations before, but yeah, this was one of the craziest," Raph said as he ran through his memories.

"I wish would've known Leo was a death magnet," Thade muttered.

"I still can't figure out how he does it," Raph said while shaking his head.

"What?"

"Everything!" Raph emphasized, "Mostly how he escapes these near death situations, he gets beaten, poisoned, stabbed, shot, dropped into deadly chemicals, blown up a multiple times, thrown into buildings, caught in fires and nearly hung."

Thade shook his head with a laugh, "And I thought I had problems."

"So, why are you up here?" Raph asked, his expression growing serious, "Don't tell me you're looking for-"

"He treated me like a slave, I will have my revenge," Thade said quietly but determinedly.

"Look bro, take from someone who's been there, revenge doesn't help anything. It's a poison."

"Hmm," Thade mused, "You sound like Leo."

"Good, I was trying to, usually he can get through to people," Raph said with a shrug.

Thade smirked, "True, I don't want to relive the blueberry incident."

"Yeah, but Mikey and Don had it coming anyways. I bet it's the last time Don lets Mikey use any of his inventions for cooking purposes."

"Probably," the older turtle muttered with a shrug and then stared down at the street below with a frown, releasing a sigh after a few silent minutes.

"What's wrong?" Raph asked.

Thade gulped, "I was just thinking about, MY brothers, I wonder how things would've been if they had actually, survived."

"Maybe things would be the same," Raph said, reaching out to place a hand on Thade's shoulder, "Maybe they'd be different and someone would be dead."

"Do you think you can miss someone you never met?"

Raph let his hand drop from the yellow clad turtle's shoulder, "I suppose, but wouldn't that make it easier?"

"I'm not sure," the swordsman said, tilting his head back to look up at the starless sky, "Maybe it makes it worse."

"Would you rather they have lived and died?"

"I wouldn't know. Would you rather watch your brothers die or wish you never had them?"

Raph sighed, "I don't know either."

A minute of silence passed by…

The older turtle took a deep breath and stood up, "Thanks Raph."

The red clad turtle smirked and stood up as well, "Let's get back home before Fearless freaks out."

Thade smiled tauntingly, "Lead the way Ralph."

"You got it coming Sunshine, I warn you."

As the two teen turtles ducked into an alley they took a last glance up at the sky.

"I really liked seeing the stars in Northampton," Thade commented.

"We'll go back soon," Raph said, promising to talk with Leo about it, "Let's go."

With that, the turtles brothers jumped back down into the sewers they called home and arrived back at their house in a matter of minutes only to be met by glaring, blue masked eyes.

"Where have you two been?" Leo asked accusingly.

" I just went topside to think," Thade said and then yawned, "Well, I'm going to bed, night bros."

Leo sighed and then looked at Raph, who frowned, "And you?"

"Hey, I was just making sure he didn't run off and do something reckless," Raph said.

Leo laughed, "That reminds me of a turtle I used to know."

"Hey, I've changed!" Raph protested.

Leo tilted his head and smiled, "Yeah, you have. Now, we should go to sleep, training's in a few hours."

''Yeah, I hear ya," Raph said while rolling his eyes while his Brooklyn accent thickened for a moment.

They exchanged more words, mostly discussing the plans for their training for in the morning-well actually, the training in a few hours.

* * *

Bishop was not very happy at this point. Thanks to his scientists' idiocy he had lost his ultimate weapon against the terrapin creatures. His sour mood did not waver throughout time, especially when, a month after T-7651 had escaped, that the chip used to control the clone was found in a pile of ash that had been the warehouse the man had the clone burn in an attempt to destroy all of the turtles. Bishop paced back and forth across the metal floor of his headquarters in New Mexico, after someone had tracked his whereabouts to Massachusetts he made sure to move quickly.

"All subjects are complete sir!"

Bishop scowled, "Finally."

He followed a white lab coated scientist where four tubes stood with bright red liquid spilling over the edges where the tops of the containers had been removed.

1 in 26 times, a mistake. There could be no perfect replica of the mutant turtles, but if T-7651 pulled through, there was a chance for others as well.

"Status," Bishop demanded with a sneer.

"V-1768-Stable, but showing lack of growth. V-1769 growing steadily, looks to be in the healthiest condition. V-1770 is lacking certain internal organs. V-1771 is in poor condition, it's slowly deteriorating."

"Pull the life supports on all but V-1769."

"But sir, there's a chance that the internal organs and stabilization could-"

"Pull the life supports."

With a gulp, the scientist reached out and pulled a lever on the main controls. He watched slightly mournfully as the red liquid drained out of three of the tubes, leaving V-1769 the only one that could survive. The undeveloped clones fell to the bottom of the tubes, lives ended before they even had a chance to fight. The next day, V-1769 perished, it's heart couldn't pump the blood it needed. Unfortunately or fortunately, however it was seen by others, he passed along with his brothers.

Bishop, was NOT a happy man…

* * *

"If you've sensed this Leo, maybe we should just stay in the lair tonight," Thade suggested.

Leo shook his head, "If whatever's supposed to happen doesn't happen tonight, it'll happen tomorrow."

"Best to get it over with," Mikey said with a nod.

"Hey Leo, can I talk to you?" Raph said, grabbing Leo's arm.

"Sure, we'll leave in a minute guys," Leo said back to the others as Raph lead him to the dojo, closing the sliding doors behind them.

"What is it?" the blue clad turtle asked.

The red masked younger turtle turned to face his older brother and asked strait out, "I know you were lying this morning to us."

"What are you talking about?"

"This 'feeling' isn't centered around you. I can tell. Whenever it is you act bloody noble all day, you've been clingy today."

Leo sighed, "It's best if I don't say it. Now let's go, we shouldn't keep them waiting."

Raph shook his head as Leo walked out of the dojo and back to their brother, "Fearless, **you are **_**impossible**_."

"Come on Raphie, hurry!" Mikey shouted back at his older brother.

"I'm gonna get him for that," Raph thought, his eyes narrowing as he chased after his baby brother, who both ran ahead of their team.

Thade shook his head and ran after them. Don almost took off himself when he sensed that the leader had not moved, he glanced back and saw the Leo was staring strait ahead into the darkness.

"You ok bro?" Don asked, reaching out to lay his hand on Leo's arm.

"Yeah," Leo said, shaking his head a bit as if throwing away a jumble of thoughts, "Could you just, do me a favor and discretely keep an eye on-"

"What? Who?" Don asked.

Leo looked at everything in the sewer tunnel they were in before looking up and meeting Don's gaze with a determined, hard look that hid sorrow and fear. Then he spoke one name and Don's eyes immediately mock mirrored the emotions buzzing beneath the blue clad turtle's gaze.

* * *

Now Raph admitted that he liked fighting, heck anyone could guess that, it was like, embedded into his DNA. So, running by a gang of Purple Dragons robbing a store wasn't energy consuming. Neither was the patrolling band of Foot soldiers really worth his time. The red clad turtle was sure Don could've taken both groups down with one hand tied behind his shell. What was with the lame criminals?

"Bros, over here, look!" Mikey shouted, the four turtles gazing down at a small diner. There were two glass doors. A man in a black ski mask picked up a brick out side and smashed in the right glass door, that was unlocked to begin with, ran inside and grabbed the tip jar while the workers scrambled for the kitchen in the back.

"Let's get him!" Raph said, hands pulling out his sais.

Leo reached out and pulled Raph back before he could jump off the building.

"What?"

"Watch," Leo said, because he knew, this criminal had broken into a _diner_, breaking through an already _unlocked _glass door, and stolen the _tip jar _from the counter. Something told the leader, that this criminal was about to do something REALLY STUPID. Just as that thought ran through his mind, the criminal turned and then looked back and forth at each of the glass doors and unfortunately, forgot which one he had broken through so he ran right smack, head first, into the _unbroken _door. He dropped the tip jar as he fell, then got to his feet and pushed open the _broken _door, leaving all the money behind.

"Well, that was just stupid," Thade muttered.

"Dude, can criminals get any dumber?" Mikey asked.

"Oh come on," Raph complained, "If you're stupid enough to rob a place, at least get away with something!"

"I can't believe he tried to steal the tip jar," Don said, glancing at the coins scattered over the floor inside the diner, "There can't be any more than six dollars in change in there."

Leo shook his head, "Criminals are getting desperate."

"They're getting stupid," Raph retorted then rethought the statement, "Well-stupider. It's gotta be a disease."

"Come on, we only have a few more blocks before we head home for the night," Leo said with a smile, although underneath the fake smile, his invisible frown displayed his worry.

* * *

It was on the last block that the five turtle team found the trouble and the foreboding sense returned. It wasn't a gang of Purple Dragons, it wasn't a band of Foot ninja, but strange creatures surrounded the team on a rooftop.

"Dude," Mikey breathed, "Don't these guys seem familiar?"

The all took out their weapons and faced the strange creatures.

Don readjusted his hold on his bo staff, observing the creatures as they moved closer, "Didn't we fight these things when we went to save Thade?"

Thade narrowed his eyes in a mocking manner at Don, they brought _that _up all the time.

"Yeah, I remember taking off one of their heads," Raph said.

"You fought these, creatures?" Leo asked as he looked over the beings.

They appeared to be somewhere between a gorilla and an insect. The skin was green, a dark emerald that had the visual texture of thick leather.

"Ok, I'm positive THAT one, was the one that tried to eat me," Mikey pointed out as the turtles jumped to battle them.

"We need to stay vigilant," Leo yelled out as he knocked one creature off the rooftop.

"Yeah, no doubt Bishop's here too," Raph remarked, cutting a large slash over one of the creature's eyes, blinding it.

Thade's eyes immediately searched the surrounding rooftops, when he spied the flap of a jacket and the glint of a metal object he abandoned the battle, his mind focused on one thing, revenge.

"Leo! Thade went after Bishop!" Don yelled at the leader.

"He'll be fine," Leo shouted back, "Just keep your eye on you-know-who."

"On it!" Don said with a nod, catching a lobster-like claw on his bo staff.

The purple clad turtle pushed said appendage out of the way and jumped at the creature's insect-like head, knocking it unconscious before he allowed his eyes to run over the battlefield, searching for one brother.

Mikey found himself fighting shell to shell with Leo, ducking down while Leo swung around him, decapitating an incoming creature.

"Thanks bro," Mikey said, turning to catch one of the creature's claws on his one of his nun chucks. He didn't pay attention to the other one though and was barely able to even notice it, before it clamped down on his shoulder.

"MIKEY!" he heard two voice shout.

Suddenly a purple blur and a blue blur tackled the attacking creature, the claw being ripped from his shoulder.

"Don, take care of Mikey, get him out of here! Raph, where are you!" Leo shouted over the clanking of weapons and leather-like skin.

A creature was thrown aside as Raph joined the group, "I'm here, what happened?"

The red clad turtle pushed back another attacking monster before glancing back and seeing his baby brother bleeding heavily, while Don was kneeling beside the fallen orange masked turtle, applying pressure to the wound to cease the blood flow.

"Go!" Leo shouted at Don, "Go take care of Mikey!"

"Come on Mikey," the purple clad turtle said while helping his little brother to his feet, "Let's go."

Once they were safe Leo breathed a silent sigh of relief, but a new sense of foreboding returned ten-fold, he couldn't find who it centered but he knew Mikey was with Don, they were safe so the previous feeling of foreboding was the injury, thank goodness, but this new feeling disturbed him greatly. If it was centered around him, he would be able to sense it.

"Raph, we have to get Thade, this isn't a battle we can win with two of us unable to fight, we need to get out of here," Leo said.

Raph smirked as his sais slid across the being's green flesh, "Pity, I was just starting to have fun."

Of course, neither had to find Thade, for as soon as they began to move to the place the yellow clad turtle had vanished, the turtle himself came crashing down on the rooftop in a broken mass.

"Thade!" they shouted and pushed aside the alien-insect creatures to reach him.

Leo bent down to help his older brother while Raph held off the what he deemed for the time being 'things'.

"Bro, are you ok" Leo asked as he helped Thade sit up.

Thade flexed his left arm, "I think I pulled a muscle, but I'm fine," he said, searching for his sword, which was laying beside him on the cracked rooftop, the yellow cloth on the handle a bit torn.

He scooped it up and sprang to his feet, as did Leo, catching attacking claws and trying to clear a safe path through the 'things'.

* * *

On the next rooftop, Bishop smiled and raised a gun he had in his hand. If he couldn't make another turtle, he'd just take _his _back. He spied the yellow mask and light green skin among the mass of creatures below him and his smile grew as he raised the gun. Of course, for the turtles, this would be quite unfortunate. Then Bishop froze, with this kind of technology he could take any of them he chose, of course he'd have to take extra precautions for any that he captured. As soon as he could get the materials he needed he could have all of them. Well, one would work for now, but which one? He chose his target.

* * *

Thade slashed through a 'thing' and wondered where Bishop had disappeared to. They had fought but the E.P.F. man was no novice when it came to fighting. Dread began to fill his stomach when he turned and found neither Leo nor Raph was in eye sight. Leo and Raph got hit with realization when they turned as well to see nothing but more attacking creatures.

"He's separating us!" they both thought.

The thought made both of them pause, Leo fell to his left knee as one of the clawed insect-like creatures embedded it's claw into his side. He cried out and fell back onto his shell. His head hit the rooftop, but his senses stayed strait long enough to hear a louder shout in the distance. The creatures surrounding him backed away slightly, before his vision faded as saw the scene, Raph was kneeling on the ground one of the 'thing's' claws clamped around his right leg. The other claw was aimed and racing towards his head. Leo's sight turned black as he smelt blood spill on the area, but he forced his eyes to blink, allowing him his last sight of the scene as a crunching and cracking noise rang out over the rooftop. Thade had caught the incoming claw on his right shoulder.

His sight was then darkness, but the blue clad turtle's hearing remained active long enough to hear the firing of a gun.

* * *

Thade knocked the creature back, it's claw ripped from Raph's leg.

"Can you walk?" Thade asked as he threw a 'thing' over his shell.

"I'm fine, where's Leo?" Raph asked, getting to his feet and grabbing the sais he had dropped when he had received that attack.

"I don't know," the older turtle admitted, "Your scream covered every other noise."

That's when they noticed the kneeling figure one rooftop over, aiming a gun at them.

"Bishop," they spat and jumped apart as the gun was fired. Raph quickly fought back the 'things' while Thade went after the mad man.

In two minutes, the yellow masked turtle was back, his sword cutting through one of the beings that had snuck up behind his younger brother.

"Where's Bishop?" Raph asked.

"He disappeared. Have you seen Leo?"

"No," Raph said through grounded teeth, "Shell Leo! You better be ok."

* * *

All the 'things' that had surrounded the fallen blue clad turtle saw him fall, decided now to go after the two still fighting. Minutes later, Leo reopened his eyes, reaching out with his hand to clamp around the wound on his side. How long was he out? Where were his brothers? He spied a flash of red and yellow in the crowd of creatures and shot forward, ignoring his heavily bleeding side and hoping that the red flash was Raph and not blood. He was rewarded with the sight of his, injured, but all together, still fighting brothers.

"Let's get out of here!" Leo shouted.

The two other turtles nodded, Raph wincing at the sight of Leo's side wound. He was in for one of Don's rants. Idiot.

Soon they fought enough back to slip down into an alley, where they hid until the creatures and even Bishop himself, left the one rooftop, searching across others.

"Guys, thank goodness," a voice said as a manhole cover in the alley was pushed aside.

Don and Mikey climbed out, the youngest turtle's injury had been bandaged and he seemed a little pale but better.

"What does that maniac want?" Leo asked, glancing up at the rooftops.

"I've got a guess," Raph said, "This is what Bishop fired from that gun."

The red clad turtle held up something that appeared to be a large computer chip.

"That's the chip he had on me before," Thade observed.

"Apparently, he wants his 'clone' back," Raph said, then saw Leo glare at him, "Uh sorry Thade."

The yellow masked swordsman smiled, "It's ok, it _is _technically what I am."

A silence stretched over them all before Leo sighed, "Let's go home."

"Yeah, I want to take a close look at those wounds," Thade said pointedly at Raph and Leo.

"And Mikey's," Leo reminded him.

"Sorry I wasn't there," Thade said apologetically.

"It's ok," Mikey said, "Don took care of it while you were off fighting Bishop."

"He won't get away next time," Thade muttered and then froze, his senses picking up on something unusual.

"What is it?" Don asked.

The turtle felt the tension in the air, someone was about to spring. A foot hit the ground and a metal glint in the corner of their eyes made Thade, Don and Mikey turn towards it. When their eyes took in the scene, they couldn't believe their sight as their jaws fell open. No, this…wasn't…possible. It…couldn't be.

There was their leader, both his swords, embedded in Raph's plastron while blood fell from Raph's open mouth.

Shock…no one moved.

* * *

That's chapter 8.

Review Please?

* * *

Preview for chapter 9:

Leo shook his head, if it hadn't been storming then the chair Don knocked over would've awakened their father. The thought of his sensei made him frown. It had been a complete year but there were still mental scars. Dealing with the grieving on his own, trying to help his little brothers. It had eventually made him break down and completely lose it. Well, he didn't like to think of the memory much. He could only really remember a sword hitting the side of his skull, then darkness when he and his brothers went topside for the first time in months. Maybe they noticed he had been slowing down, been dizzy, barely ate, rarely slept and spent little time out of the dojo. Maybe they didn't. Well, whether they did or not, the blue clad turtle shook his head. It didn't matter now anyways, he had to let it go.

Sometime later the rushing footsteps outside stopped. Mikey had either caught one of his brothers or had gotten tired. About an hour later the door opened and the eldest walked inside. He smiled and shook his head at the sight. He sighed, getting his immediate younger brother's attention.

"How'd it go?" Leo asked.

Thade laughed, "Mikey tired himself out."

Leo rolled his eyes but shook his head good naturedly.

"How's Raph?" Thade asked, walking up to the side of the bed.

* * *

Once again, please review?

~Moonsetta


	9. Chapter 9

I own four awesome action figures, a giant Michelangelo floor puzzle and a few old coloring books of the 1987 team, but I do not own the TMNT.

* * *

"WHERE IS MY BROTHER," Leo asked with a sneer, Raph smirked and then his image faded, flickering until he fell backwards and landed on the ground, now a dead foot soldier.

"They used a holographic cloaking device again!" Don cried out, "I really need to invent something to get around that."

Since the purple clad turtle didn't realize he was mumbling that last bit, when he glanced at his surroundings, he was alone. He glanced up towards the nearest rooftop, to see the tails of Mikey's mask disappearing behind streaks of blue and yellow.

"Why am I always the one left behind?" he thought glumly.

Meanwhile, the red clad turtle himself was fighting in the next alley over. He thought it was so strange in battle that you'd be fighting back to back with someone and then they were gone, well maybe you were gone. Raph had seen a flash of blue among the crowd of creatures and automatically recognized it as Leo's mask, forgetting about his eldest brother he focused on getting to his immediate older brother instead, not really caring when the creatures' claws bit into and pulled at his skin. Of course, his attention was drawn back when he spied a long foot soldier hidden partly in the shadows by a large air vent on the rooftop. Unfortunately, this double served as a distraction, he was picked up by his shell by one of the 'things' and tossed down into the alley. So that was why he was currently pushing a giant lobster or crab-like claw aside to shove his sais forward and into another 'thing'.

"I have to get back up there," Raph thought, glancing up at the rooftop behind him.

He was distracted long ago to be knocked against the wall. His sais clattered to the asphalt below before he fell as well, rubbing his head where it had hit the bricks of the wall.

"Great, now I'm gonna have a throbbing headache for the rest of the night!" he thought, not noticing the group of 'things' in front of him raising their claws and aiming for his head.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" a group of voices shouted as the other four turtles descended in the scene below.

"Raph are you ok?" Leo asked, leaning down to help his brother up.

"Just a headache," he muttered, grabbing his sais as he stood up.

A last smack and cry from one of the 'things' echoed out in the alleyway, "And that's for trying to eat me last time!" Mikey shouted tucking his nun chucks back into his belt.

"Well, this was a disaster of a night," Don murmured as he scanned the area for any that they had missed. Finding none he and Mikey turned to the older turtles to find Thade by Raph and Leo, already wrapping up an injury with bandages. One thing that was the same between Thade and Don was, that they always came prepared.

"Better?" the yellow masked turtle asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Raph said slightly grunting at the pain from his head.

"Let's head home, you need to rest," the blue clad leader said.

"I agree, this night's been crazy enough," Thade said, "Thankfully, it looks like Bishop didn't get what he wanted."

"True, it doesn't appear to be that way," Leo mused as the team made their way to the nearest manhole, "But this **is** Bishop we're talking about."

"I'll run a scan when we get home," Don said, lifting the manhole cover before Mikey jumped down into the sewers, "If there are any devices on us, I'll find them."

"All clear!" Mikey called up.

They had had to double their vigilance when returning home, with Karai's discovery of their new teammate she had called for more soldiers from the branch of the Foot clan she once ran in Japan. They patrolled the sewers even more thoroughly now, so the turtles had to be more cautious. Thade jumped down next, followed by Leo and then Raph, who was moving amazingly well for being thrown into a brick wall. Don glanced around and then jumped down as well, replacing the manhole as he descended into the sewers with his family. They started on their way home, Mikey was way in front, excited about tonight being movie night. Lots of movies, staying up late and A LOT of popcorn. Don and Thade were discussing something about nuclear reactors when Leo slipped up to them.

"What is it bro?" Thade asked.

"Do me a favor?" Leo asked, his eyes darting forward.

"Sure, what?" Thade asked stopping.

"Check on Mikey for me, I'm still concerned. That strange sense of foreboding was centered around him."

"Sure thing," Thade said with a nod and quickened his pace to catch up to the youngest turtle.

"Leo?" Don asked, laying a hand on his older brother's shoulder.

"What is it?"

Don pointed behind them. Leo looked back and saw Raph leaning against the side of the sewer tunnel, out of breath.

"I tried to help him, but he won't let me," the purple clad turtle explained looking sadly back at their red masked brother before mock glaring at the both, "You know? You two were always and still are the worst patients."

Leo rolled his eyes, "I'll help Raph, you go catch up with the others."

Don nodded and disappeared around a corner, following Thade and Mikey. Leo took a deep breath and made his way back to his hotheaded little brother. Raph was leaning almost all his weight against the wall and was gasping for air.

"Raph, are you ok?" Leo asked worriedly, reaching out and resting a hand on Raph's shaking shoulders.

"I'm fine," Raph growled.

Leo sighed, "You're always like this when you're hurt."

"You are too Fearless Leader."

"Raph, you know I hate that name," Leo said stubbornly, he had only put up with it recently since the spite had vanished from Raph's voice.

The red clad turtle grimaced and gulped. Ok, he never really meant for the nickname to become so spiteful in the first place. It had been an accident really, he hadn't meant to come up with it…

* * *

YAY! Time for a Turtle Tot memory! I love writing these!

* * *

"_My sons, run!" Splinter said as the gang members advanced upon the elderly rat who was disguised in a trench coat and a large hat._

_The four figures behind him, also draped in oversized coats and hats, backed up and ducked behind a group of trashcans in the alleyway._

"_What's going to happen?" Mikey asked his older brothers._

"_Master Splinter will take them down," Raph said confidently, looking around the trashcan to watch the battle._

_The sound of a metal pipe hitting the concrete and then silence made the young turtles scamper out from behind the trashcans and run to their father, the elderly rat was staring sadly down at an unconscious gang member. The elderly rat noticed the tattoo of a maroon-like dragon on the man's bicep. He shook his head, silently hoping there would me no trouble from this gang in the future._

"_Sensei!" four voices called out and the old rat was nearly knocked over by his four sons._

"_Ah, my sons, you did very well my little ones, come, let us return home."_

_None of them noticed the man gaining consciousness at the end of the alley. Fortunately, this man had no gun, but the metal baseball bat he had been trying to strike the intruder with was lying near his hand. He got onto his hands and knees and picked it up, looking on at his unsuspecting victims. He approached the mumbling group silently and when in range struck out with the bat, knocking the largest one unconscious._

"_Father!" the four little ones shouted._

"_Family," the gang member muttered, so this short guy had four kids, "Pathetic."_

_His life had only taught him that family brought you down, you were either street smart and alive or dumb and dead. And any smart criminal knew that when you cared for others, you were weak. This was how he grew up and how he was taught. So in his mind, he thought that getting rid of the worthless little runts would actually do the short guy some good. The gang member grinned, reached out and grabbed the coat of the nearest one._

"_AH!" the little child squirmed in his hand._

"_Hold still," the man ordered raising the baseball bat over the kids head after he shoved him down onto the pavement._

"_Mikey!" the other three yelled._

_The guy grinned, Mikey, it was probably short for Michael or something. He raised the bat a little higher and that's all he got to do before the other three little ones were on him, one biting his hand, making him drop the bat, another clawing at his eyes and the last one kicking at his ribs, making it very difficult to breathe. He threw the one on his arm against the wall to his left, elbowed the other one and kicked the last one down to the back of the alleyway, He picked up his baseball bat and turned to the nearest one. The little form was rocking back and forth, the result of hitting his head against the bricks of the wall._

"_Say goodbye little one," the man said in a sing song voice., raising the bat._

"_DONNY!" the other two shouted._

_Raph ran forward, growling under his breath, no one hurt his brother! The gang member laughed and kicked at the small charger, knocking him back into the next wall. _

"_Raph!" the last one called, running to his side._

"_Raph," the man thought, "Their father really should've looked into renaming them, oh well…"_

_Leo looked at the man, he was going to hurt Donny! He glanced around quickly and saw the unconscious gang member by his father, who was still unconscious himself, and scooped up the pipe the man had had. He charged the gang member about to hit Donny and struck out at his legs. The man fell backwards and Leo jumped out of the way as the man came crashing down onto the pavement. _

"_Why you little," the man growled swinging the baseball bat and knocking Leo back against the wall as Donny shook and scampered towards Raph, who was being helped to his feet by Mikey._

"_Mikey, you're ok!" Donny cheered and hugged his little brother._

"_AH!" _

_The three turtles looked up at the yell and saw that the gang member had grabbed the pipe and pulled it out of Leo's hands._

"_You puny punks are really getting on my nerves," the man sneered, raising both the bat and the pipe over Leo before bringing down on the young turtle._

"_LEO!"_

_Two loud bangs of metal against metal echoed out over the alleyway as the elderly rat came back into consciousness. He glanced up and saw Leonardo holding up a trashcan lid, stopping a metal baseball bat and pipe from hitting him._

"_My son!" the rat called out and the man smirked, knocking the trashcan lid out of the small form's hands and picking up Leo by his large coat before shoving him against the wall, unfortunately also having to drop the metal bat in favor of the pipe._

"_Now you're finished," the man sneered._

_Leo looked around frantically, no one in his family could make an advance for fear of the gang member bashing his head in, so he had to figure something out. He knew panicking at this point would do little good, so he found himself remaining extremely calm for someone of his young age, but there is a truth that a new idea will stop the flow of a child's emotions and thoughts. When Leo glanced up and saw a small flower pot sitting precariously on a windowsill, he found an idea was forming in his head. He was too young then to realize that his brain was a very strong strategic one but he did know, or at least he thought he knew, that if enough force hit the wall, the pot would fall from the windowsill and if it fell right, he could get out of this. But to apply that much pressure…? How?_

_Then he glanced around, eventually looking down._

"_You're shoe's untied," Leo said, glancing down at the laces on the man's shoes._

"_I ain't falling for that one," the man said and raised the bat over his head._

_Unfortunately, for the gang member, Leo was telling the truth. So when the man stepped forward, his foot caught the shoelace and he stumbled, his foot landed on the round and able to roll, metal baseball bat. The man fell forward and Leonardo jumped out of the way just as the man's head met the brick wall. It certainly wasn't the first time the young tots had seen blood, but it was the first time they had seen so much.. Then, just as the young blue masked tot had seen it in his head, the flower pot came crashing down on the man's head. Then, he laid there, moaning in pain. Splinter took the opportunity and rushed his sons to the nearest manhole, closing it behind them before the gang member could wake back up. He turned back to his sons and smiled._

"_Leo that was so cool!" Mikey shouted, waving his arms around dramatically._

"_Yeah, you saved us," Donny said hugging his oldest brother._

_Splinter chuckled, "Perhaps this team has found it's leader."_

"_Yeah, Leo for leader!" Mikey chorused._

"_All in favor?" Don asked._

"_I!" the three younger turtles screamed together._

_Later that evening, Leo had went to bed early, since he had received a large bruise from being shoved against that wall and the three younger turtles were up talking about the battle while stretched out on a large rug that labeled the area of their living room._

"_I never even saw the flower pot up there, I wouldn't of known to use it," Donny said._

"_I can't believe he tripped because his shoe was untied," Raph said, tilting his head to the side._

"_How stupid!" Mikey said and they all laughed._

_After they calmed down Donny spoke up, "So Leo's the team's leader now?"_

"_Duh!" Mikey said._

"_He's more than the leader," Raph said, sitting up from where he had been resting on his plastron._

"_What do you mean Raph?" Donny asked._

_Raph smiled, remembering how Leo had charged at the man with that metal pipe in his hands, like he was a great warrior wielding a sword, like those ninja and samurai warriors in some of the stories their father told them. When Raph thought of his older brother during that fight, he was filled with a certain kind of pride. It was one that was simple to understand, despite every element that influenced your life as you grew, you looked up to your older siblings. There were times that they were annoying but there were times where you saw them as heroes and they saw you as something to care for. Someone they could protect. Raphael was no different, he looked up to his older brother._

_Raph leaned back and laid on his shell, "He's more than our leader, did you see him charge that bad guy head on? He wasn't even scared when he was in danger! It's like he isn't scared of anything."_

"_Yeah, you're right," Donny agreed, "I've never seen Leo scared of anything, not the dark, not storms, not that bad guy, he wasn't afraid of that fire in the kitchen, he wasn't scared of that scary movie, or the dogs we ran into."_

"_Yeah, our leader isn't scared of anything," Mikey said._

_A large smile spread over Mikey's face as he re-imagined the scene again. To him, Leo had acted just like the superheroes in the comic books he liked to read. Diving towards the enemy with no fear._

"_No fear," Mikey whispered, "We've got a leader with no fear."_

"_I think the correct term is fearless Mikey," Donny said._

"_Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, it's time for bed!" Splinter called from the hallway._

_The three young turtles sighed, "Ok sensei."_

_As Raph buried himself deep into the thick covers for the night he let his mind run over the battle. Then he remembered what Donny had said._

"_Fearless," Raph whispered, then smiled and thought, "Our Fearless Leader."_

_He smiled and closed his eyes._

* * *

"Yeah," Raph breathed through gasps, "I know."

He definitely did know Leo hated the name. They knew that Leo was afraid of heights but, they jumped across buildings anywhere from one to eighty plus stories high! He simply pushed the fear away, so technically he got rid of it. There were no fears after that.

Leo sighed, "Come on hothead, let's get you home."

Raph sighed, "Fine."

"Oh my what's this?" Leo asked as he draped one of Raph's arms over his shoulders and curled his own arm around Raph's shell, "My hit-now-ask-questions-later little brother is letting someone help him?"

Raph let out a short bark of a laugh but was thankful he could lean heavily on someone, supporting his own weight was getting quite difficult. The broken rib was pushing against some muscle which affected his lungs, making him lose breath quickly. They walked on for a few minutes of silence until Raph had to stop to catch his breath.

"Hmm," Leo mused, "One of those creatures must of hit something in you."

"Yeah, must be it," Raph said, scratching at the back of his head where something was irritating him, like there was something under his skin, "Must be a bug bite," he thought and then, when his breath was back, the brothers continued on until they reached their home where Thade was pacing in the front room.

"Where have you two been?" the yellow clad turtle exclaimed, quickly rushing the two turtles to his lab, right next to Donatello's.

"Sorry bro," Leo apologized, helping Raph sit down on the examining table of the medical area that made up half of the yellow banded turtle's lab, "Raph was…tired. I think one of the creatures must of hit something, he lost his breath really fast."

"Ok, I'll do a full examination, Don's in his lab scanning Mikey, we don't want Bishop finding where we are."

Leo smiled, "Well with most of the anti-tracking defenses Don's set up, I doubt he would be able to find us anyways."

The blue clad turtle exited Thade's lab and made his way to the lab of his younger brother. When he entered the room he found Don standing next to a table covered in books and random papers while Mikey was standing in a kind of doorway that was running a blue laser across his plastron.

"Am I done now?" Mikey asked as the laser switched off.

"Yes, you're clear," Don said, looking back and noticing Leo's presence, "You're next bro."

"Alright," the blue clad turtle said and stepped into the strange glowing doorway.

When the scans were complete Don gave him the all clear too, "Well, that's everyone except Raph."

"You'll have to wait until tomorrow, he's asleep," said a voice from outside the lab.

Thade was standing in the doorway to the room, smiling, "I tell you, he could sleep through a train."

"That's nothing compared to Mikey," Leo commented.

"Hey!" Mikey pouted, then his smile grew into a mischievous smirk, "Oh Leo! I think you need a hug!"

Leo's smirk fell and his eyes grew wide before he shot out of the room, running into Thade's lab next door. Back in Don's lab Mikey smirked. When he sounded like that, people should run, at moments like these, he didn't hug people, he constricted them.

Mikey's smirk grew as he glanced at his other brothers, "Who wants a hug?" he said in a high pitched sing-song voice.

"Uh oh…"

* * *

Leo smiled at the rushing sound of feet outside the doorway and then turned to see his younger brother sleeping peacefully. His smile fell into a frown, he never liked seeing his brothers hurt. He kept telling himself that it wasn't his fault, but come on, that was out of character. Leo smiled amusingly at the thought and walked over to the bed, pulling up a chair so he could sit by his brother as he slept. The sound of thunder crashing above made Leo glanced upward as the light above flickered off and then back on. Good thing Don had built generators a few months back. The storm made Leo think back to when they were younger, they were maybe…six, when they found out what a thunderstorm was.

* * *

Two turtle-tot memories in one chapter, I'm on a roll! ^_^

Ok back to the story.

* * *

"_There will be a storm tonight, make sure you all stay in bed," Splinter said to his sons._

"_What's a storm?" Mikey asked._

_Splinter smiled amusingly, true most of the storms didn't reach them this far down but tonight was a large storm that blew in only every few years. It had been in New York City three years previously, but the young four turtles could not remember it._

"_Get to bed," the elderly rat reprimanded, rallying his sons to their rooms._

_Later that night, the first rumble of thunder reached their home, seeming to shake their home. The four turtles all woke up at the same time. Michelangelo jumped and gazed at the ceiling curiously. Don yelped and hid under the covers. Raph scoffed at the noise and covered his head with his pillow, trying to block out the noise. The newly named "Fearless Leader" slipped out of his bed and went to the dojo, where the thunder and pitter-pat of rain seemed to be the loudest, and strangely, the most calming. The blue clad turtle smiled and took a deep breath before moving to the center of the room to meditate._

_The sound of approaching footsteps alerted him to someone approaching the dojo. He opened his eyes and looked at the doorway to see Mikey standing there, his orange blanket draped over his shoulders._

"_Mikey? What are you doing here?" Leo asked._

"_I wanted to see if you were awake, but you weren't in your room," Mikey said, his eyes widening slightly._

_Leo caught the spark of worry in his baby brother's eyes and smiled consolingly, "It's ok Mikey, I was just meditating."_

_The youngest turtle walked over to his older brother and sat sown next to him, "You like the storm?"_

_Leo nodded and glanced upward at the ceiling, "It's quite relaxing."_

"_It's cool, what do you think makes all that noise?"_

_Leo shrugged, "Maybe Donny knows."_

_Mikey frowned, "Donny doesn't like the storm."_

"_What?"_

"_He's scared of it," Mikey explained._

"_Hmm…" Leo mused, "I wonder why."_

"_Leo, Mikey," a voice whispered from outside the dojo._

_Mikey smiled and ran out the door, "HI DONNY!"_

"_AH!"_

_CRASH!_

"_Oops," Mikey whispered._

_The blue clad turtle groaned, if that didn't wake sensei up, nothing did._

"_I gotcha Donny," a familiar voice said._

_With that all three of the younger turtles walked into the dojo._

"_What are you doing up?" Raph asked Leo._

_Leo smiled, "Meditating, the storm's quite relaxing."_

_Raph blinked a few times before shaking his head, "This storm is too loud, I can't go to sleep," he complained, sitting down next to his older brother._

_A crash sounded and Don flew towards Leo, wrapping his arms around his older brother and curling up against him._

"_Donny?" Leo asked, setting his small, green hand on the purple clad turtle's shell. _

_Donatello was shivering and his teeth were chattering, both because of fear and because of the lowered temperature._

"_Donny, what's wrong?" Raph asked, reaching out his hand to rest next to Leo's._

"_It's cold," Don whispered._

"_Mikey-" Leo started but didn't have to finish because Mikey was already by Don's side, wrapping his orange blanket around his older brother. _

_Thunder crashed again and Don flinched and shivered more violently._

"_I told you he was afraid of the storm," Mikey said._

_Few other words were said as the orange, red and blue masked turtles crowded around the purple clad turtle. When Splinter found them the next morning, they were all huddled together._

_Of course, no matter how cute the scene, he HAD told them to go to bed._

* * *

Leo shook his head, if it hadn't been storming then the chair Don knocked over would've awakened their father. The thought of his sensei made him frown. It had been a complete year but there were still mental scars. Dealing with the grieving on his own, trying to help his little brothers. It had eventually made him break down and completely lose it. Well, he didn't like to think of the memory much. He could only really remember a sword hitting the side of his skull, then darkness when he and his brothers went topside for the first time in months. Maybe they noticed he had been slowing down, been dizzy, barely ate, rarely slept and spent little time out of the dojo. Maybe they didn't. Well, whether they did or not, the blue clad turtle shook his head. It didn't matter now anyways, he had to let it go.

Sometime later the rushing footsteps outside stopped. Mikey had either caught one of his brothers or had gotten tired. About an hour later the door opened and the eldest walked inside. He smiled and shook his head at the sight. He sighed, getting his immediate younger brother's attention.

"How'd it go?" Leo asked.

Thade laughed, "Mikey tired himself out."

Leo rolled his eyes but shook his head good naturedly.

"How's Raph?" Thade asked, walking up to the side of the bed.

"Breathing," Leo responded.

"Get some sleep tonight please?" the yellow clad turtle begged.

Leo appeared to think about this for a minute before nodding. He leaned back into the chair he was sitting on and rested his head on the back, closing his eyes.

Thade sighed in annoyance, "**You **are impossible."

Silence.

The eldest shook his head, "Alright, I'll see you two in the morning."

With that, Thade slipped out of the room.

* * *

Don yawned and set down the shell cell he was working on before turning around in the computer chair at his desk.

"Tired?" Thade asked as he entered the room.

"Kind of," Don answered with another yawn, "How are Raph and Leo?"

"Raph's sleeping and Leo's as stubborn as ever," the eldest turtle said with a disappointed frown.

"Hey, he's Leo," Don offered in an explanation.

Thade rubbed his eyes before removing his sword strap from around him and placing it at the foot of his bed. He walked around the futon and crawled under the covers. The purple clad turtle turned off the lamp he had had on and walked over to the beds, climbing up to crawl into his bed above Thade's. The eldest fell asleep instantly, but an irritating burning on the back of Don's head kept the purple masked turtle up for ten minutes. Annoyed, he sat up and took off his mask, itching at the irritation.

"Must be a bug bite," he thought, deciding to take care of it the next day.

Feeling the irritation slip away he settled back into his bed and fell asleep, his hand still curled around his mask.

* * *

Bishop glanced at a screen that was sliding back and forth across the floor of a hidden underground tunnel underneath one of his hidden facilities in New York City. Seeing the clock strike midnight he scooped up a device with many buttons. He hit the lower gray button and smiled. Finally, he had a turtle under his control once again. His old experiment didn't seem worthy of his time any longer, so he had picked a new guinea pig. Ah, the turtle appeared to be unconscious, well, HE could fix that.

He hit a red button on the device.

* * *

Back in the turtles' lair, two eyes snapped open-

* * *

Ok that's it for this chapter, now in the next chapter…

* * *

Preview for chapter 10:

His light green hand hovered over the photos while he felt bile climb up his throat. The pictures were grotesque but he couldn't look away. It was like there was an insisting ticking within his skull. Every tick, every second passed by too slowly. Then, a hand fell onto his shoulder.

"I see you've returned T-7651," she a cold but altogether too familiar voice.

The yellow masked mutant turtle pushed the hand off and stepped away while turning to face Bishop and raising a hand to rest on the yellow wrapped handle of his sword. The human just grinned wickedly.

"My name is Thade," the swordsman sneered while slowly unsheathing his sword and pointing it at Bishop.

The human looked indifferent but then gazed down at the turtle's wrapped up left hand, "Having some problems?" he asked expectantly.

Thade growled, "I've looked at the cells, their randomly deteriorating and no serum is stopping it."

Bishop grinned in an evil-manner, "Poor thoughts to come alone," he said gazing around at the shadows where no of the other turtles were.

"There's no need to involve them, now give me answers!" he demanded.

* * *

Back at the turtles' lair, Mikey and Don were walking into their home, 5 pizzas stacked up in Mikey's hands while Don's gaze was focused on a small device in his hand he had gotten from April since they had had to pick up the pizzas there. They couldn't find a pizza place that would deliver on their specific err…sewer tunnel. Don, not paying attention ran right into Mikey's shell.

"Hey, Mikey!"

"Dude," Mikey snickered, "Look."

Don walked around his younger brother and saw what he was chuckling about. When the scene was in front of his eyes he wasn't sure to join Mikey in laughing or go, "Aww."

Leo and Raph were still healing so, they both _voluntarily _were forced to stay in the lair and on the couch in the main room. This time Don had put up heat sensors, movement sensors, and a sonar sensor. Apparently, Leo hadn't figured out how to get past them or he didn't want to, but Don doubted he would've moved anyway. Leo was watching the TV while Raph was asleep, his head resting on his older brother's shoulder.

"HEY RAPHIE!"

The red clad turtle jerked awake, causing all of the sensors to go off.

"Dude, I wish I would've gotten a picture of that," Mikey said.

"Mikey…" Raph growled, tightening his hands into fists and getting ready to pounce if necessary.

Mikey gulped at the angry look on his red masked older brother's face and held up the pizzas as a peace offering.

Don and Leo shook their heads. You think Mikey would've learned by now…

Raph shot off the couch, the alarms going off again. The pizza boxes went flying while Mikey shot off as well, heading for the kitchen, Raph trailing two seconds behind him. Leo jumped up just in time to catch the pizzas before they made a huge mess that he would have to clean up.

"How's was your nap?" Don asked.

"I don't take naps unless I'm sick-"

"Or in critical condition," Don finished, "I know, but Thade's going to kill you. Where is he anyways?"

"He said he had to run to the junkyard for something," Leo said.

Then, shouts came out of the kitchen.

"No Raph! Not the rolling pin!"

"Get back here pipsqueak!"

_CRASH!_

Leo groaned and set the pizzas down on the coffee table. Great, something for him to clean up, and he'd somehow get water and soap into the stitched up wound on his side, his older brother would be angry and he'd be in for rants from both Don and Thade... even Raph.

"Wow, Mikey is the only non-lecturer," Leo thought and then jumped to the side as a green and orange blur sped past him and Don.

A green and red form followed with a black object in his hand. The said object was a mystery since it was a blur as well. It's identity was revealed though when Mikey's voice rang back to them.

"NOT THE FRYING PAN!"

The level headed turtles sighed in unison.

"I wonder when Thade's going to be back," Leo thought, stalking off to stop the chase/fight before someone was holding their head in agony.

_CLANK!_

Too late...

* * *

Hey, I'm open for ideas on how I should end this story. If anyone has an idea message me with it. By the way, people have asked me in the past to beta-read their stories. I admit I had no idea what that meant at first, but now I know and I've set up my Beta Reader profile. So I'm taking Beta requests now. Good luck readers and writers! You guys are the best!

Review please? If no one reviews this I might think the whole story is terrible and delete it.

~Moonsetta


	10. Chapter 10

Alright! THAT'S IT! I QUIT!

I tell you all I am totally fed up with this story! It's annoying! Really, it's true!

Every single time I try to end this thing something won't let me. So I hear by GIVE UP trying to end it! This story's going to go beyond the ten chapters I've written until an end comes to mind. So while I'm waiting for that to happen I'll just have to continue on with whatever chaos this brain of mine dishes out for me.

So here's chapter 10

* * *

Raph sat up slowly, his head ringing and rumbling as if dozen of little spiders were running around inside his head ringing bells and banging on drums.

"Eh," he thought, shaking off the images, "I'm turning into Mikey."

He shook his head slightly to rid it of the rumbling and then allowed his eyes to adjust to the semi darkness. The feeling of a plastic cot beneath him told him he was in the medical lab and an almost silent breathing by his side told him that one of his brothers was there. The being was breathing quietly so it couldn't of been Mikey, the youngest always snored slightly and shouted out his dreams to the entire household. Raph smirked, he knew who it was. Which one of his brothers always sat by his side when he was injured? The red clad turtle reached out until his hand brushed against familiar reptilian skin.

A mumbling, followed by a deep breath of consciousness slid into the air, "Raph?"

"Hey bro, so, what happened?" Raph asked.

Leo rubbed his eyes and got to his feet, "Thade gave you something to help you sleep."

Raph looked down at the bandage wrapped around his arm before narrowing his eyes, "I knew I shouldn't of listened to him! He said it was a shot of vitamin C."

Leo chuckled, "Yeah, that's sounds like him."

The red clad turtle looked at the glowing computer screen that let a small amount of light illuminate the room a few feet and then let his gaze travel to his older brother, his eyes automatically catching the sight of a bandage around his torso.

"What happened to you?" Raph asked, turning and reaching out to lightly place his hand on the wound.

"It's just where one of those 'things' clamped down with their claws," Leo explained.

"The others hurt?" Raph asked, his protective nature bleeding into his voice.

Leo smirked, "Well, Mikey's going to be enjoying 48 hours of video games, comics and movies."

"And what have we been subjected to?"

"I'm out for three days, you for a week."

Raph groaned, "A week? That's crazy!"

"Well, the others are asleep right now," Leo said.

"So?" Raph asked with a raised eye ridge.

"Let's escape while we can," Leo said with a smile.

"Race ya!" Raph said and shot off the plastic cot and to the door.

* * *

"You know Don and Thade are going to kill us, right?" Leo asked.

"I'm prepared," Raph said with a shrug as the two turtle brothers sat on the edge of a rooftop looking out over New York City.

"To what? Follow their orders?" Leo asked as they watched a large moving truck speed by at about 20 miles per hour over the set speed limit.

"No," Raph said with a smirk as he watched a man on a cell phone below fall onto his back after the speeding moving truck splashed him with a spray of water from a puddle on the side of the road, "I'm prepared to do the exact opposite."

"Hothead," Leo said affectionately.

"Fearless Leader," Raph retorted.

Leo turned his annoyed eyes towards his younger brother, "Why do you always call me that?"

"Cause it's true," Raph said with a shrug.

"I am not fearless!" Leo declared with narrowed eyes, "Where'd that come from anyways?"

Raph laughed as another car sped by the man who was still talking on a cell phone and he got soaked again. Then he turned to Leo, "Remember that time you got that gang member to trip because his shoe wasn't tied?"

"Raph, we were six, that was ten years ago," Leo said, his eyes growing in curiosity.

"Annnnnddd," Raph said, stretching out the word, "How long have you had the nickname?"

Realization hit Leo's eyes before he slapped a hand over them, "So it's all my fault?"

"Yep," Raph said with a taunting smile.

Leo sighed, "I suppose I'm resigned to it."

Just then, Leo's shellcell started ringing.

"Five bucks says it's Don," Raph said.

"Alright," Leo said, meeting the challenge, "Five that it's Thade."

"Deal."

Leo took out his shellcell and grinned at the caller ID, "It's Thade."

Raph groaned and bowed his head, "Darn it, five is all I have," he thought glumly.

Leo opened the shellcell and held it to his ear, "Hello?"

"WHERE ARE YOU TWO!" a voice bellowed out.

Leo pulled the shellcell away as the loud voice made his ears start ringing.

"Don?" he asked, "What are you doing with Thade's shellcell?"

"I was fixing it previously. Duh-! NOW STOP TRYING TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT! WHERE ARE YOU TWO!"

"Heh," Raph said smugly, "I win."

Leo rolled his eyes and answered, "We're topside."

"WHAT THE SHELL ARE YOU TWO DOING UP THERE!"

"Talking," Raph said calmly.

Don groaned, "What happened to the days when you two couldn't agree on **anything**? I swear, you two must be twins!"

Raph and Leo both rolled their eyes.

"We've just come to a mutual understanding," Leo explained.

"And we don't agree all the time," Raph argued.

"And we never argued that much from the beginning," Leo said, "You and Mikey just blew it out of proportion."

Don sighed on the other end, "Just get home now, don't you remember what happened last month when you randomly decided to go topside? Mikey went into hysterics thinking something had happened when you didn't come back for two days, Thade ran himself ragged and I couldn't get any sleep."

"Hey, we left you all a note," Raph protested, "It's not our fault that Klunk decided to drag it off and bury it like a dog."

"Just get back here before someone goes crazy."

"Fine," Raph sighed as Leo closed the shell cell.

"We're Swiss cheese," Leo commented as they both stood up.

"If Thade and Mikey are up when we get back we'll be cream cheese bro," Raph said as they walked to the opposite side of the building and prepared to jumped down into the alley when a scream rang up towards them.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME! I'M WARNING YOU!"

The turtles jumped down onto the fire escape silently and glanced down. Then, they saw a black form flying towards them. They dodged just in time to see a Foot soldier fly through the window that had been behind them. They glanced back down in the alley to find an old friend of theirs fighting the Foot.

"Hey," Raph said, "It's Angel."

The purple haired teen was in her gang outfit, something she had saved when she had once tried to join the Purple Dragons.

"Let's help her," Leo said, unsheathing his swords.

"I call first punch!" Raph said excitedly and both brothers dove into the battle.

It had only been a small group so the battle was over in a few minutes.

"Ah," Raph said while tucking his sais back into his belt, "That was a refreshing workout."

"Leo! Raph!" Angel called, running up to them.

"Hey kid," Raph said, "So what was that all about?"

"That's why I'm out here and in this thing again," she said, motioning to her current outfit, "I was heading to the Purple Dragons' hideout to see if I could find out what happened."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"Well actually this happened to me the other night too, apparently the Foot's looking for Hun, he's disappeared."

"Disappeared?" the turtles asked in unison.

Leo and Raph looked at each other.

"I'll call the others," Leo said, taking out his shell cell, "I'll wait for them here."

"I'll go with Angel then," Raph said.

* * *

A few blocks away Bishop growled and kicked at the body of a dead Foot soldier. Now he wasn't only just, not happy. Now, he was angry. The scanners his scientists had made read that he had fired and hit the red masked turtle, but the chip now lay on a once alive Foot soldier at his feet. (Remember the Foot soldier that was disguised as Raph?) But why had a Foot soldier been there in the first place?

Bishop returned to his headquarters outside of New York City, fuming. Someone was going to be on the receiving end of his anger…

* * *

Karai paced back and forth across her, well the Shredder's throne room, scowling. A small band of Foot soldiers entered the room and she sharply turned to them her eyes narrowing in disgust.

"An unsuccessful mission I assume?"

"None of the Purple Dragon gang members have any knowledge of Hun's whereabouts," one soldier responded.

Karai slammed her fist into the wall, "The Foot clan will fall all over the world if that information is found by any civilian and reported to the law. Right now, I have a missing fugitive, none of the turtles in my grasp, businesses to run, paperwork to fill out, a missing Foot soldier and the E.P.F. breathing down my neck! LEAVE ME!"

The Foot soldiers bowed and quickly exited the room. Karai had become just as fierce as her father after the Utrom's banishment. Karai walked over to the sign of the Foot hanging on the back wall of the throne room and scowled, she would have her revenge against the turtles and she would find Hun. He could not hide forever.

* * *

"We told you guys that we're fine," Raph said, "Now quiet down."

The five turtles were gathered on top of a building next to one that was all too familiar for one of them.

Don had out a pair of binoculars, watching the back doors of the warehouse next door, "Still, you two should be back at the lair."

"We're quite able to take care of ourselves Don," Leo said, annoyed by the threats and complaints coming from his brothers.

"But what if we get into a fight and one of you gets hurt worse?" Mikey said.

"Watch out Mikey," Raph said, "You're turning into a lecturer."

"Ok, she's inside," Don reported as he watched Angel walk inside the building with other members of the Purple Dragons.

"Let's move," Leo and Raph said together and both took the lead, hopping onto the roof of the next building.

As the other turtles landed Mikey sighed at the handy sun roof on top of the building, "Why do the bad guys always pick buildings with sun roofs? How stupid are they?"

"They're criminals Mikey, that just proves that they're stupid," Raph said as the group glanced down into the building. The place was old, run-down and looked like it had been through a large fire some time ago.

* * *

When the meeting was over, a boring and tedious two-hours later the Turtles met with Angel beside the building.

"Anything Angel?" Leo asked.

The young teen shook her head, "Nothing. No one knows where he is but members have heard that the Foot are looking for him. Word is, he stole something from Karai that could shut down the Foot for good, all over the world."

The turtles gasped.

"Then we've got to find Hun before anyone else, if there's a chance to stop the Foot for good, we have to take it," Leo said.

"I'll see what I can find," Don said with a smile. He could hardly believe his ears, no Foot, ever again! They could live a somewhat peaceful life! Of course there was still Bishop, and the Purple Dragons themselves.

Mikey was kind of torn between the good side and bad side. No Foot clan ninjas attacking them ever again. Good. Of course, that meant that there would probably be more struggle powers among the streets.

Raph scowled staring at the blank wall of the building. Yeah, no Foot sounded good, but if they did find Hun they'd be saving him from the Foot. It came down to a mental battle, who did he hate more? The Foot? Or Hun? He mused on this before deciding it was better to save Hun, he shivered, after all Hun was one person, worldwide, the Foot could be thousands if not millions, who knows. Better to cut down the numbers.

Leo watched each of his brothers' reactions and then noticed Thade staring up at the building's rooftop. After they had arrived here, his ranting had stopped and the eldest hadn't said a word since then. Deciding to talk with his older brother when they arrived home Leo turned back to Angel, "Don't do anything reckless, stupid or dangerous but anything you can find out will help us out a great deal."

"I'll call April," Don said as the Turtles made their leave.

Don, Raph and Leo climbed up the fire escape they had come down and back onto the building they had first stopped on. Mikey was about to follow when he realized that his eldest brother hadn't moved away from the wall he was leaning against.

"Thade?" he asked, stepping up and placing a hand on the yellow clad turtle's shoulder.

"Huh?" he asked, looking over at his baby brother.

"What's wrong Bro?" Mikey asked.

Thade looked back at the building, "Do you remember this place Mikey?"

The orange clad turtle looked back at the building and let his eyes wonder over patches of blackened, burnt debris and it's crumbling walls, "No. Should I?"

"The last time you saw this place, it was on fire," Thade reminded him softly, still gazing intently at the rooftop.

Mikey then stepped back with realization, "This is where you were created, right?"

"Yeah, _created_," Thade said almost without moving his mouth.

"Oh, sorry, it slipped," Mikey said apologetically.

"It's alright," Thade said with a sigh, his shoulders rising slightly and falling once again.

"Come on, let's catch up to the others," Mikey said, forcing a smile onto his face, trying to cheer his older brother up.

"Mikey?" Thade asked.

"What?"

"What do you think about clones? Livestock or human?"

Mikey stopped and his eyes widened the slightest bit before narrowing in determination, "Dude, we're not going to abandon you just because you're a clone made by one of our enemies. Stop thinking like that."

Thade bit his lip, sighed, bowed his head and closed his eyes tightly. It wasn't really that he thought that they would abandon him but because of his memory. He didn't have a full 16 years of memory, a memory that would tell him who he was. Long-term memories defined who you were and that was one thing he didn't have. He had two years of memory, not enough to really define, yes, he was a doctor and a biologist, but why? He doubted being shoved into a tube for months, growing at an exceeding rate to become what he was now, was the reason for his interest in the subject and study. Plainly put, he was identity crisis.

Mikey frowned, "Come on bro."

"You didn't answer my question," Thade reminded him.

Mikey frowned, "Dude, you don't even need to ask. You'll get the same answer from the rest of out bros. Clones are **not **livestock. I remember once Donny was telling me about alternate dimensions and how the you in the other dimension always makes a different decision than other yous in other dimensions. Maybe that's all cloning is. A peak into other dimensions. You'll never be exactly like one of us. Different decisions make different people, well in this case, turtles."

"So, human?" Thade asked curiously.

Mikey sighed and shook his head with an affectionate grin on his face, "Bro, we're not exactly only human, turtle definitely. Now stop worrying about it."

Thade looked up at the building again and then at his baby brother before smiling, "Thanks Mikey."

"It's what I'm here for Bro, now come on, I predict that there will be pizza tonight."

"Please tell me we're not out of coffee," Thade said as the ascended the building to catch up to their family.

"Don't worry, Leo grabbed an extra can of coffee when he was out the other day."

"Good, I need the caffeine," Thade said with a tortured frown.

* * *

"You two are going no where this time I have enough sensors around this place to catch even a flea moving. If you leave the designated area I will know," Don said, his eyes traveling around the room and then over at his red and blue masked older brothers who were stranded on the couch, "You'll thank me for this."

"Do I look thankful?" Raph growled.

Don smirked and walked out the door with Mikey, "We'll be back soon, we just have to pick up the pizzas and the scanner at April's."

Raph huffed before turning to Leo, "Now what? We're stranded, on the couch of all places."

"TV?" Leo said.

"The remote's on top of the TV, we can't get up to get it. How are you going to turn on the TV?"

"Watch," Leo said with a smirk, "Oh Klunk!" he called, reaching down into the couch to pull out a bag of cat treats.

"So that's where Mikey stashes them," Raph said, not that he'd been looking for them the other day or anything.

The orange cat meowed and appeared on the living room table.

"Don can see this you know," Raph said, his eyes going to a moving camera in the corner.

"Yeah, I know," Leo said, taking out a treat and tossing it at the TV power button.

Klunk, following his nose, ran after the treat, running into the TV as well, accidentally pressing the power button.

"I'll never figure you out Fearless," Raph said while shaking his head before he realized that the channel was the news channel and right now, they were on the weather.

Needless to say, it wasn't long before he was asleep.

* * *

"If only I had a camera," Thade chuckled as he walked out of his lab and saw his red masked brother sleeping while resting his head on Leo's shoulder.

Leo, unable to get up because of the sensors and not wanting to wake Raph up was forced to sit there and endure the amused look from his older brother. Then, he noticed that the yellow clad turtle had his duffel bag with him.

"Where are you going?" Leo asked as Thade walked to the door.

"The junkyard I need to find a biological cell disrupter."

Having no idea what he had just said Leo simply replied, "Yeah, good luck with that. Don't be gone too long though Don and Mikey should be back soon.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," the eldest said, exiting the lair and stepping out into the sewers.

Once he was well enough away from his home Thade took a deep breath and leaned against the side of the sewer tunnel. He looked down at the bandage surrounding his left hand. He unwrapped it slowly, wincing when he noticed the brown and black splotches that now dotted his once light green hand. He cursed under his breath as he rewrapped his hand with the white bandage. He had already taken a closer look at the cells. He remembered the information from Bishop so long ago. A mistake once every twenty-six times. He could tell from the splotches and the familiarity of seeing dieing plants. The cells that pigmented his skin to turn green was similar to the chlorophyll cells that turned plants green. When they died, they turned brown before turning black and deteriorating into the earth.

He knew that something had gone wrong during his creation. He wasn't perfect but to watch his own cells breaking down before his own eyes. He'd done everything he could think of but he didn't have the basis catalysts and mixed DNA samples that Bishop did, meaning…

Bishop was his only hope.

* * *

He left his shell cell at the dump and made his way to the building he was created in, right back to the beginning. Each room seemed deserted, doors falling down, debris piled up everywhere, dust and ash covering everything. It had clearly been abandoned since the fire but, he had no other leads to Bishop's whereabouts.

He reached the top floor and tried opening the door. Said door ended up falling in since it's hinges were long rusted and Thade stepped back when he realized that this was THE room. Desks were crowded around a large space where four tubes sat upright. He kept his eyes on the tubes and walked towards them, reaching out and touching a metal plate in front of the first one that was colored blue.

_T-7651_

He shivered as his thoughts returned to the days he had spent locked in that thing. Then, he went to the next running his hand across the next plate, then the next one, then the final one.

Red: _T-7652_

Purple: _T-7653_

Orange: _T-7654_

He frowned and lowered his eyes to the floor, "My brothers."

He walked away and turned his attention to any open manila folder on one of the desks. Maybe he didn't need to track Bishop down at all. The information he needed might be right here! Hopes rising he walked over to the folder and then his heart sank. Photos. There were photos of them all. The first photo was labeled, _T-7652._

"Raph's clone," Thade thought.

The clone was about the size of a three year old child, only the being had too much muscle. The passage beneath the picture claimed it was heart failure.

The next one, labeled _T-7653 _was Donatello's clone.

The photo showed a being without a skeleton, kind of like a baby, only cartridge instead of bones, not strong enough to support the weight of a massive brain.

Then the last was Mikey's.

The photo was of a small toddler turtle creature. It-well, he looked like he could just be sleeping but the passage underneath claimed the second heart failure.

"And now," Thade though, looking down at his hand, "My cells are falling apart and dieing."

His light green hand hovered over the photos while he felt bile climb up his throat. The pictures were grotesque but he couldn't look away. It was like there was an insisting ticking within his skull. Every tick, every second passed by too slowly. Then, a hand fell onto his shoulder.

"I see you've returned T-7651," said a cold but altogether too familiar voice.

The yellow masked mutant turtle pushed the hand off and stepped away while turning to face Bishop and raising a hand to rest on the yellow wrapped handle of his sword. The human just grinned wickedly.

"My name is Thade," the swordsman sneered while slowly unsheathing his sword and pointing it at Bishop.

The human looked indifferent but then gazed down at the turtle's wrapped up left hand, "Having some problems?" he asked expectantly.

Thade growled, "I've looked at the cells, they're randomly deteriorating and no serum is stopping it."

Bishop grinned in an evil-manner, "Poor thoughts to come alone," he said gazing around at the shadows where none of the other turtles were.

"There's no need to involve them, now give me answers!" Thade demanded.

* * *

Back at the turtles' lair, Mikey and Don were walking into their home, five pizzas stacked up in Mikey's hands while Don's gaze was focused on a small device in his hand he had gotten from April since they had had to pick up the pizzas there. They couldn't find a pizza place that would deliver on their specific err…sewer tunnel. Don, not paying attention, ran right into Mikey's shell.

"Hey, Mikey!"

"Dude," Mikey snickered, "Look."

Don walked around his younger brother and saw what he was chuckling about. When the scene was in front of his eyes he wasn't sure to join Mikey in laughing or go, "Aww."

Leo and Raph were still healing so, they both _voluntarily _were forced to stay in the lair and on the couch in the main room. This time Don had put up heat sensors, movement sensors, and a sonar sensor. Apparently, Leo hadn't figured out how to get past them or he didn't want to, but Don doubted he would've moved anyway. Leo was watching the TV while Raph was asleep, his head resting on his older brother's shoulder.

"HEY RAPHIE!"

The red clad turtle jerked awake, causing all of the sensors to go off.

"Dude, I wish I would've gotten a picture of that," Mikey said while laughing.

"Mikey…" Raph growled, tightening his hands into fists and getting ready to pounce if necessary.

Mikey gulped at the angry look on his red masked older brother's face and held up the pizzas as a peace offering.

Don and Leo shook their heads. You think Mikey would've learned by now…

Raph shot off the couch, the alarms going off again. The pizza boxes went flying while Mikey shot off as well, heading for the kitchen, Raph trailing two seconds behind him. Leo jumped up just in time to catch the pizzas before they made a huge mess that he would have to clean up.

"How was your nap?" Don asked.

"I don't take naps unless I'm sick-"

"Or in critical condition," Don finished, "I know, but Thade's going to kill you. Where is he anyways?"

"He said he had to run to the junkyard for something," Leo said with an indifferent shrug.

Then, shouts came out of the kitchen.

"No Raph, not the rolling pin!"

"Get back here pipsqueak!"

_CRASH!_

Leo groaned and set the pizzas down on the coffee table. Great, something for him to clean up, and he'd somehow get water and soap into the stitched up wound on his side, his older brother would be angry and he'd been in for a rant from Don and Thade, and Raph.

"Wow, Mikey is the only non-lecturer," Leo realized and then jumped to the side as a green and orange blur sped past him and Don.

A green and red form followed with a black object in his hand. The said object was a mystery since it was a blur as well. It's identity was revealed though when Mikey's voice rang back to them.

"NOT THE FRYING PAN!"

The level headed turtles sighed in unison.

"I wonder when Thade's going to be back," Leo thought, stalking off to stop the chase/fight before someone was holding their head in agony.

_CLANK!_

Too late…

* * *

Ok, that's it for chapter 10. Hey if anyone at all is still reading this please tell me. I don't know when this story will officially be over but I've just added something interesting to the next chapter.

* * *

Preview for Chapter 11:

"I'VE DONE ALL I CAN LEO!" Thade shouted, his face growing hot and his hands tightened into fists.

"WELL YOU BETTER DO MORE SUNSHINE!" Raph yelled stepping up beside Leo.

"Guys, this arguing isn't going to help Donny," Mikey protested, walking in between his bickering older brothers.

Leo's narrowed eyes met Thade's, as he spoke through clenched teeth, "If it weren't for you this wouldn't have happened and my brother wouldn't be in a coma."

"WHAT? SO THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT DECIDED TO SNEAK OFF TO BISHOP'S WITHOUT TELLING US!" Raph yelled, stepping forward with a growl.

"Raph!" MIkey said sternly, holding him back from attacking the yellow clad turtle.

The red masked turtle huffed and turned on his heel before marching back into the medical area.

"Look Thade," Leo said with a glare, "When Don does wake up. I want you gone. Out my home, out of my city and AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!"

The angry, blue clad turtle turned and stomped into the medical area while cursing under his breath.

Thade turned away and felt tears sting his eyes, an entire year, a family, all gone just because of-

His thoughts stopped with the feeling of a hand on his shoulder. He turned and met Mikey's wide, blue eyes.

"They didn't mean it bro, they're just scared," Mikey said with a forced smile in an attempt to console his eldest brother.

The yellow masked turtle felt the tears leaking from his eyes, he never thought that Raph would, even Leo would never- Sensing the strain in Thade, Mikey stepped forward and hugged him. A few seconds later, Thade returned the hug hesitantly.

"I'm sorry Mikey. I-I didn't mean…" he trailed.

"I know big brother, don't worry, everything will be ok."

Thade nodded but frowned disputably at the lie. It would never be ok, not after what he was about to do.

* * *

Hours later, Thade was pacing the rooftop of an abandoned apartment building that reminded him much of the one he had cared for Leo at. He swallowed a choked sob and sat down, holding his head in his hands. Then, he took a deep breath as he sensed an incoming presence.

"You came," said the being.

"You know what I want," Thade said, choosing to stare at the ground other than the black clothed figure next to him

"Here," the being said, tossing something towards the turtle, "Strait from Bishop's laboratory."

Without looking, Thade caught it and stared at the green liquid.

"That's for putting Donatello out of commission, your next assignment is Michelangelo. Remember, Leonardo and Raphael must be brought down simultaneously."

Thade took a deep breath, this would all be over soon.

* * *

Well that's the preview. Any thoughts?

Please review?

~Moonsetta


	11. Chapter 11

I'M SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOO SORRY!

I know, I haven't updated anything in like, FOREVER! I'm soooo sorry! I hope I didn't upset everyone but with school back in session I just don't have much time anymore to work on these stories. Once again, I'm soooo sorry! But I will have a five day vacation soon.

Ok, now that that my apologies have been translated let's kindly move on.

Ok, thanks for the reviews everyone! You guys rule! Let's see, I'm sorry if no one liked that last bit, but someone did mention very early in the story that they wanted Thade to be the bad guy. Not that he officially is, that's something that is still simply a possibility. He could be or not, I haven't decided yet.

Well anyway, I want to dedicate this to my favorite authors here:

Longing for Leo- You write the most amazing stories I've ever read. If only I had half your talent.

Scribe of Turesa- Ok, this is going to seem really sappy, but you're the author that actually inspired me to start writing TMNT fan fiction, I was always jealous of your ideas for stories, heck I still am. You're just that awesome!

MarieTheManiac-I love your fluffy stories, they're so cute. I especially have to thank you for being the one who convinced me to repost "Someone To Understand" and you gave me enough confidence to post that alternate ending.

DragonMasterOf10: You've seemed to disappear but drawing the pictures you did for this story has really helped me keep it going. I'm so jealous of you. I wish I could draw like that, but sadly, I'm one of those people who scare themselves with their own stick figures.

Yeah, I'm that terrible at art. -_-'

Well, since DragonMasterOf10 has disappeared I guess there won't be any more pictures for this story. It makes me really sad, it really kept me motivated to write this story. Sigh… L

Oh well ^_^ maybe someone will come along and offer to draw pictures for it in the future. Either way, I HAVE to finish this story. Oh, and I tried to make this chapter really long for everyone. Oh, I now have a deviantART account, I post the chapters of this story on there first so if you can get there or have an account you can figure out what happens sonner than everyone else. But I would perfer if the comments and reviews were posted here.

Ok, I've talked enough. On to Chapter 11! ^_^

I don't own TMNT. Whoever told you this was lying.

* * *

The purple clad turtle yawned as he clicked to the next page on the website and smiled.

"Donatello, shouldn't you be in bed?" a voice from the doorway asked

"Huh?" he said, turning around to see his blue clad brother in the doorway.

"Heh, hi Leo" Don said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"What are doing anyways?" Leo asked, walking up behind his younger brother.

Don then smiled before scrolling down to continue reading the article, "It's an essay written by one of the top students of the country."

"What's it about?"

"Clones," Don said quietly.

Leo scowled and narrowed his eyes.

"Leo, I don't think that way about Thade. Just because he's a clone doesn't mean he's not one of us."

"I know Don," Leo said, his face and voice softening, "So what are the student's thoughts?"

"Actually, at the beginning of the essay he was very neutral, pointing out positive and negative aspects of cloning but right now," Don frowned, sighed and closed the window on the screen, "It's clear he's just one that finds clones nothing more than replacement parts."

"Makes us sound like robots," Leo said with a scoff.

"True, and it makes clones sound non-human."

"So, you believe they're human?"

"They've all got beating hearts and can make choices Leo, that's where I draw the line on life. There's no doubt in my mind that they're human," Don finished with a yawn.

"Going to bed yet?" Leo asked with a yawn of his own.

"Right after I check the security cameras," Don replied, opening up a program on his computer.

"OK, goodnight," Leo said, slipping out of the room and into his.

"Donny go to bed yet?" Raph asked from where he was sitting up on his hammock.

"He said he would after the security system check," Leo said, walking over and sitting down on his futon.

Raph raised an eye ridge, "And you believed him?"

Leo smiled humorlessly and yawned, "I'll go check on him again in ten minutes," he paused, "After a nap."

* * *

Back in his room Don released a satisfied sigh but glanced over at the bed beneath his. Thade had been gone for awhile. He got out his shell cell and called his eldest brother.

It rang three times before Thade picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Thade, where are you? I'm worried," Don said while shutting down his computer.

"Sorry little brother, I'm on my way back now."

"Thank goodness."

"Actually," Thade said and stopped, "Could you do me a favor Donatello?"

"Sure," Don said, getting to his feet.

"Meet me at the Purple Dragon's latest HQ."

"That building we scoped out with Angel?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Ok, I'll be right there. Should I tell the others to come along too?"

"Oh no," Thade said, "I just need your help with something."

"Ok, I'm there," Don said with a smile.

The purple clad turtle grabbed his bo staff and duffel bag before slipping out of his room. He checked in on his brothers before leaving, finding Mikey dreaming about being the Turtle Titan, Raph sleeping half way out of his hammock and Leo sleeping peacefully as ever. With an affectionate smile on his face, he turned and left the lair, his brothers would call if they needed to find him.

* * *

"There," Thade breathed as he stood among the junkyard, a sword at his throat.

The blade slid away from his light green skinned throat and the figure in black next to the turtle smiled.

"Very good."

Then, the black clothed figure melted away into the shadows. The yellow clad turtle reached up and lightly touched the chip on the back of his head. That chip… He mentally cursed, he was back to being a tool for a madman, well in this case, mad woman.

"You won't get away with this Karai," Thade hissed at the shadows, only receiving an almost silent chuckle in return.

A shock made him jerk his hand away from the chip. He couldn't remove it because of that shock feature. He wasn't sure how the Foot had gotten a hold of Bishop's technology but he didn't have time for the sound of two careful feet landing on the ground nearby.

"Hey bro," Don said, walking over to him, "What's going on?"

"I need you to come with me to the Purple Dragon's last HQ," Thade explained with little emotion in his voice.

"Yeah, I've gathered that from when you called, but why do we need to go back there?" Don said as the two turtles left the junkyard.

"There's something I want to find, and I need your help with this," the yellow masked turtle explained as they hopped onto the nearest rooftop and made their way across the city.

"And you can't tell me why?" Don asked, stopping in his tracks and staring his older brother down.

Thade sighed and turned his head away, coming up with a quick lie, "It's something about my bro- well, the beings that would've been my brothers."

"Oh, sorry I jumped at that," Don said apologetically.

Two things made for bad conversations with Thade, cloning itself and discussions about clones, especially if the talks touched on the subjects of the other clones that had perished in Bishop's lab that would've been brothers to Thade.

"But what are you specifically looking for?" Don asked.

"I just want to know, what they looked like, if there would've been a chance, if there could still be a chance."

Don's mouth fell open, "Are you proposing that you try to clone them yourself?"

All of this was a lie, but why stop when Thade saw how good he was at it?

"It worked for Bishop."

Don frowned, "Thade to even attempt such a scientific miraculous event would take resources and equipment we don't have on hand."

"I just want to know if it's possible, maybe someday it could come true."

Don met his eyes with a kind of sympathy in them, but even he had to admit, he would never empathize with those lost onyx eyes.

The purple clad turtle took a deep breath and stepped forward, "I knew it was Bishop's old laboratory before, but you were so quiet so I didn't speak up," the mechanical genius turtle admitted.

"That's ok," the yellow masked turtle said as they finally landed on the rooftop of the previously mentioned building.

"We should've looked around before," Don admitted, "Sorry again that I didn't bring it up."

Thade just tilted his head forward and they jumped down through the sky light.

"So do you know where to find what you need to? The information may not even be here," Don argued.

"I know where to look for it," the eldest said, slipping into the hallway outside the room.

He slipped into the next room, searching for something. Places of the wall, floor and ceiling had been burnt through with the old fire. Piles of slightly scorched wood lay among the white tiles that made up the floor and the walls that were once the daily blank page sight of his vision stood weakened by gravity itself, a yellowish brown stain on each wall. Thade bit his lip and went to the first desk he came to. He opened one drawer, finding only papers he went to the next desk and found a glass vile holding a black liquid. He stepped close to the door and took a deep breath before calling out.

"Hey Don, can you come help me with this?"

The purple clad turtle was having quite a similar experience to the one that his older brother had had before when the yellow clad turtle had reentered the building but 15 minutes earlier. Even more ironic, he was now staring at the same papers and photos that Thade had. Don had to admit, he may have been a mechanical genius, but having to be the doctor for his family for many years did leave a medic's consciousness in his mind. The pictures and descriptions made him want to be sick. When Thade called for him he gratefully turned away from the pictures and stepped into the hallway, but as soon as he did he saw a flash of light green, heard the breaking of glass and then saw a kind of smoke pitched blinding gas. He gasped and inhaled the gas, before choking, his system automatically attempting to rid him of the intoxication.

Before he knew it, even as the smoke cleared and he took a look ahead at a terrified familiar face before him, although the image was fuzzy, the world quickly became darkness.

Meanwhile, Thade stood gasping, leaning against the scorched wall, not believing that he had just done that. Ok, fine Karai had what she wanted so he should be able to…

His thoughts trailing off he reached up and touched the chip on the back of his head, hidden under the band of his mask, then jerked his hand away when he was shocked. It was no use, he was a prisoner, again.

"I knew you would return," a deep voice said from the room he had previously been in. Thade turned sharply and glared at the image of Bishop in the doorway. He wasn't stupid, he wouldn't fall for that holographic projection imitation again.

"I see you've learned," Bishop said but then he laughed and his image vanished.

With silence surrounding him, Thade kneeled down and checked on Don. He was worried that the exposition to so much of xenron71 would do more harm than it was created for. Finding a steady pulse and breathing Thade breathed a sigh of relief and walked to the next room that they had dropped down into. Thade glanced up, the skylight windows were open. But hadn't he closed them? Thade shook his head, maybe they had dropped down through the empty frames of the few skylights that had been destroyed during the fire. He glanced around and found the desk he had stood by when he had first returned and walked over to the papers laying there. Well he had lied, but was there a possibility that-?

He stopped his thoughts and reached for the papers before an explosion went off behind him. Thade spun around and found himself staring at a rising wall of flames. Another explosion outside made him turn to the doorway.

"Don," he breathed, his heart beat quickening as his thoughts were torn between the purple clad turtle and the papers on the desk. His brothers, it was all together possible for an advanced biologist like him to-but Don he…

Another explosion and more lapping flames advancing upon made him turn and dash out of the room, a few tears falling as he realized he could never go back for the information, could never even have a possibility to try to- His thoughts were cut off as he dashed into the hallway and saw flames crawling towards Donatello, who was still unconscious. Thade dove towards his younger brother and scooped him into his arms, jumping away from the fire. He turned to the room with the skylight only to be stopped by a blockade of white and blue flames. He backed away and turned to the stairs only to find them sealed off by a steel door! There was no escape. They could only wait…

…

…

…

…

…

Unless-

The yellow clad turtle ran to the furthest unburned corner of the room and set Don down, letting him lean against the wall that had paint that was slowly melting from the nearby heat or chipping away. Thade pulled out his shell cell but before he could press a button, it began ringing. Gulping, he opened it up and brought it up to his ear, or where one of them would have been and said, "Hello?"

"Thade where are you?" Leo demanded on the other end, "You've been gone all night and have you seen Donatello? I can't get a hold of him?"

"Donny's here with me, he's unconscious but he's stable. Listen Leo, do you remember the building where the Purple Dragons met earlier today that Angel showed us?"

"What are you doing there?" Leo demanded, automatically knowing that that was where the two genius turtles were.

"Just hurry Leo, I'm not sure how long it'll be before this fire overcomes us, you have to hurry!"

A gasp and then Leo's steady, calm leadership voice carried over the line, "We'll be right there, stay away from the fire as much as you can."

"Hurry," Thade breathed and mentally cursed himself and his stupid actions before hanging up the phone.

If he hadn't fought Bishop, which turned out to be a hologram, gotten tired enough to be ambushed by the Foot and been too weak, he wouldn't be in this situation! None of them would and Donatello wouldn't be…

The eldest turtle gulped and scooped Don into his arms again bending his head down to whisper to the younger, purple clad turtle, "I'm sorry Donny, please forgive me."

* * *

The yellow and purple clad turtles remained in the corner for a short three more minutes. Nothing but the crackling fire crawling towards them made a sound, everything else was simple silence. After that soundless two minutes, a crash, followed by a tumbling shake of the building told them that something had crashed into the floor below. Seconds later, someone below them knocked on the metal plate covering the stairway.

Listening determinedly Thade caught the sounds of his younger brothers, "THADE! DON!"

"WE'RE HERE!" Thade shouted back as he turned and saw the fire fluttering towards the bottom of his feet. He pushed Donatello towards the covered staircase, placing himself between the purple clad turtle and the blistering flames.

Clanks and sounds of scraping of metal against metal filled the atmosphere along with the sounds of the burning flames. The paint on some walls melted off, pieces of wood turned black before the smallest force made them fall apart, metal melted like the paint or bent in the extreme hit, making Thade momentarily wonder what metal made up some of the walls. Donatello would probably know. A life long two minutes later, the metal covering on the staircase flew up and over Thade, landing on it's thin side and falling into the fire.

"Don! Thade!" two voices called out.

Thade turned and met eyes with his blue clad younger brother before a green hand grabbed onto his shoulder and pulled him down the stairway. Unfortunately, the lower floor was on fire as well. Not being able to see Thade let his younger brother lead him through the smoke. After all, he wasn't the best ninja. Despite being older, Leonardo was still the best among them all at ninjitsu. Two minutes later, Thade tasted air free of the choking smoke and he was shoved into the back of the familiar BattleShell.

* * *

20 minutes later, the five turtles returned to their home and rushed Donatello into Thade's lab, the yellow masked turtle ran ahead grabbing medical supplies and devices. He rushed the others outside when he felt a weakening pulse and an extremely shallow breath coming from his purple clad little brother. He ran machines, he inserted fluids, used every technique as the heart underneath his fingertips continued to slow. Eventually, the heartbeat sped up slightly to a steady but still slow beat.

Thade breathed a sigh of relief after everything seemed to calm done and become stable. The yellow clad turtle turned and calmly walked out of the room. In seconds he was surrounded by his younger brothers. He told them the same lie that he had told Donatello, needless to say, two brothers in particular weren't happy nor pleased with the story, Thade's reasons behind it or the resulting coma that Don had fallen into.

* * *

Needless to say, not everything was perfectly resigned.

"I'VE DONE ALL I CAN LEO!" Thade shouted, his face growing hot and his hands tightened into fists.

"WELL YOU BETTER DO MORE SUNSHINE!" Raph yelled stepping up beside Leo.

"Guys, this arguing isn't going to help Donny," Mikey protested, walking in between his bickering older brothers.

Leo's narrowed eyes met Thade's, as he spoke through clenched teeth, "If it weren't for you this wouldn't have happened and my brother wouldn't be in a coma."

"WHAT? SO THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT DECIDED TO SNEAK OFF TO BISHOP'S WITHOUT TELLING US!" Raph yelled, stepping forward with a growl.

"Raph!" Mikey said sternly, holding him back from attacking the yellow clad turtle.

The red masked turtle huffed and turned on his heel before marching back into the medical area.

"Look Thade," Leo said with a glare, "When Don does wake up. I want you gone. Out my home, out of my city and AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!"

The angry, blue clad turtle turned and stomped into the medical area while cursing under his breath.

Thade turned away and felt tears sting his eyes, an entire year, a family, all gone just because of-

His thoughts stopped with the feeling of a hand on his shoulder. He turned and met Mikey's wide, blue eyes.

"They didn't mean it bro, they're just scared," Mikey said with a forced smile in an attempt to console his eldest brother.

The yellow masked turtle felt the tears leaking from his eyes, he never thought that Raph would, even Leo would never- Sensing the strain in Thade, Mikey stepped forward and hugged him. A few seconds later, Thade returned the hug hesitantly.

"I'm sorry Mikey. I-I didn't mean…" he trailed.

"I know big brother, don't worry, everything will be ok."

Thade nodded but frowned disputably at the lie. It would never be ok, not after what he was about to do.

Unless… he could find a way around or out of it. Some way…

* * *

Hours later, Thade was pacing the rooftop of an abandoned apartment building that reminded him much of the one he had cared for Leo at. He swallowed a choked sob and sat down, holding his head in his hands. Then, he took a deep breath as he sensed an incoming presence.

"You came," said the being.

"You know what I want," Thade said, choosing to stare at the ground other than the black clothed figure next to him

"Here," the being said, tossing something towards the turtle, "Strait from Bishop's laboratory."

Without looking, Thade caught it and then looked up to stare at the green liquid.

"That's for putting Donatello out of commission, your next assignment is Michelangelo. Remember, Leonardo and Raphael must be

brought down simultaneously."

Thade took a deep breath, this would all be over soon…

He glanced up and met a gaze of emerald, "Your plan won't work Karai."

The black clothed woman smirked and drew out a handheld device, "You will always do as I say. You did excellently in following my command, perhaps when the turtles lie dead by my hands you may prove yourself great enough to stand among my forces."

"I'll never join you, you made me hurt Donatello," Thade whispered.

"Ah, but you won't have a choice."

Thade looked at the serum, "Then why help me with this? How did you even know?"

"It is simple insurance," Karai said, "I can not have you deteriorating while serving me. As for how I discovered your situation, well my Foot ninja were very thorough when searching Bishop's various abandoned headquarters."

Thade mentally cursed. The thoughts of what he had just done to Donny had his long ago discovered guilty conscious eating at his insides. One thing he had in common with Leo.

Karai melted into the shadows with a goodbye smirk that said that they would see each other again very soon. Thade clutched the vital of green serum tightly in his hand. Well, there was one thing Karai didn't know. He was a biologist and because of his studies he had sometimes had to study chemistry. He could easily create this serum, duplicate it, but…

Thade's hand rose up and touched the back of his skull. It was impossible now. It was hidden under his mask and because of the electrical shocks he couldn't simply remove it. He glared down at the ground and frowned, he had escaped without any trouble from Bishop, well another one of his holograms, only to be distracted by Donatello calling, allowing the Foot to easily ambush him and use the technology they had recovered from Bishop's base. He had to escape…

* * *

"Forget it Mikey!" Raph yelled, stomping out of the main room and into the dojo .

The youngest turtle sighed, so Thade had wanted to know his brothers. Big deal! If he didn't already have four of them, the orange clad turtle was sure that he would want brothers too. He sighed again and turned towards Thade's lab where he could hear Leo's quiet voice as he talked with Donatello, who had woken up about an hour ago, for a few minutes at least. Mikey slipped inside the room and noticed that Leo had looked up at him during his entrance.

"How's Donny?" Mikey asked, walking over to Leo, who was sitting in the same chair he had been previously sitting in when Raph had been injured just earlier.

"Well, yesterday," Mikey thought, glancing at the clock and reading that the time was 2:00am.

The orange clad turtle took a deep breath and focused all his attention on his older brother, "Leo, um Thade's been gone for a few hours and-"

"Michelangelo," Leo said in a warning tone complete with a classic sneer.

"Dude, you totally overreacted, you and Raph both, so Thade wanted to know his brothers, big deal. Say Raph, Don and me didn't exist but you knew you were supposed to have us as brothers? Wouldn't you take any chance to have us in your life?"

"No comment," Leo said quietly.

Mikey groaned before glaring at Leo, "I don't know who's a bigger jerk, you or Raph."

With that the youngest stomped outside, slamming the door to Thade's lab, behind him. Leaving the blue clad turtle to his own thoughts and miseries as an old friend of his, guilt, began to eat away at his stomach.

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Casey asked, staring dumb-founded at the yellow masked turtle in front of him.

Thade sighed, "I told you Casey the manipulation control within the centralized unit of the chip needs to be deactivated and to accomplish that task a disruptor has to be inserted into the connector feed so it will open the circuit wiring and allow the flow of particles manifesting the signals from the home beacon-"

"Hold it!" Casey called out, "You lost me on the pollution thing."

"It's manipulation, how can you confuse those?"

Casey raised his eyes to the ceiling, obviously thinking.

"All right," Thade said as he turned back to his work, "Stop it, I don't want you to strain yourself."

Casey murmured a, "Huh?" before he realized that he had been insulted, "Hey!"

The yellow masked turtle shook his head and then turned to the Petri dish of the green serum he had gotten from Karai. He just needed a few more things and the serum would be finished, "Ok, I need a mass amount of potassium, certain vitamins and some common DNA."

"Some what?" Casey asked, "Shouldn't you be at April's for this kind of stuff?"

"She's gone to visit her sister for the entire week. Now I need you to run to the store and pick up some mashed bananas."

"Uh Thade, do they even sell mashed bananas?"

"Of course they do," the yellow clad turtle said with a smirk, "I'll need five jars. They should be in isle 7 at the store."

Casey shrugged and turned to the door, "Whatever you say geek!"

As the door closed Thade bit back a laugh as he continued to work. Poor Casey…

Since he was not very knowledge when it came to this certain thing. Casey was in for it. He had no second thoughts about taking the job of picking up the ingredients the eldest turtle needed. Unfortunately, he didn't exactly know what mashed bananas specifically were, so following the turtle's instructions he ended up in isle 7 at the store. Minutes later, he was scratching his head as he stared at the jars and pictures before him.

An hour later, ten women had surrounded him asking about the baby. Casey cursed Thade in his thoughts as he stared down at the jars of mashed bananas baby food in his arms. He needed to escape…

He reached the end of the isle, but the women followed him. They wanted to know, was it a boy, a girl? Were the mashed bananas it's favorite? How old was it? Had it said it's first word yet? And at the end of the isle, a worker decided that if Casey needed food for said baby, he probably needed diapers for the baby too…

An hour later, Casey trudged out of the store, a certain turtle he knew was gonna be dead when he got back home.

When he arrived at home, he found the place deserted. Thade had left, long ago…

People heard a crash that night, but they weren't exactly sure what it was.

* * *

"Finished," Thade thoughts glancing at the crushed chip on the rooftop at his feet.

He smiled and glanced at the sonic disruptor in his hand, "Thank you Donatello," he said with a smile.

Then, he frowned as he tucked the purple clad turtle's invention away into his duffel bag. He hoped his little brother was ok. He breathed a sigh of relief and then unwrapped the bandage that was around his hand. He smiled at the sight of receding black and conquering green. The Foot were foolish, they'd given the serum to a scientist, how stupid could they get? The eldest had heard much of the Shredder but apparently his daughter was more ruthless and angry then patient and calm.

He sighed and rewrapped the bandages before jumping off the building and into an alleyway where he lifted a manhole cover and dropped into the sewers that had become his home for so long. He sighed again as he replaced the cover and stared down the dark tunnel. Now he had to tell the others the truth…

He shivered but not from the smell or coolness of the tunnels as he began the trek home. The tremble was one of fear. After all, he had turned on Donatello. The chance was one in a million but- would they forgive him?

Mikey? Yes. The youngest was upset that Don was hurt but not with Thade. Being the youngest he was forgiving and held an eternal kind of sympathy within him.

Don? Well, Thade wouldn't know until the purple clad turtle woke up.

Raph? He'd have a better chance at becoming a pop idol.

Leo?

Thade thought back to Leo's words before. Just telling him a lie made Leo say that. Plus, the truth was so much worse, making a deal with the Foot? Well, maybe if he explained…then again, maybe not.

The yellow masked turtle sighed and his face fell as the familiar doorway of his home came into view. Well, here went everything…

* * *

"Mikey."

The youngest turtle looked up from the comic book he was reading and saw Leo standing behind the couch.

Unsure exactly what was going on in Leo's mind the orange banded turtle just asked, "Hm?"

"Could you watch Don? I'm going to go meditate."

"Sure," Mikey said with little emotion in his voice.

The walk to the medical lab door was a silent one.

"Michelangelo?"

"Yes, Leo?" Mikey said softly.

"I'm sorry," Leo whispered.

Mikey felt his narrowed eyes soften, Leo…uh why was his big brother always like this? I mean everyone felt guilt once in awhile but Leo's guilty consciousness was just freaking ridiculous. Mikey smiled and turned to the blue clad turtle, "Just make sure to tell Thade when he gets home."

Leo tried but failed to smile back, "I will."

When the orange clad turtle disappeared into Thade's lab, Leo turned and walked into the dojo, following the sound of fists against leather until his eyes caught the red tinge of Raphael's mask. The sounds stopped and Raph turned, locking his gaze with Leo's.

"Donny ok?"

"Yeah, he woke up about two hours ago but went back to sleep after a few minutes."

Raph's shoulders slumped in silent relief even if a look of relief didn't cross his face. A silent, lone few seconds passed before Raph turned his attention back to the punching bag, beginning to hit it repeatedly once again.

Through the punches he managed to ask, "So where's Sunshine at? I want to have a little chat with him."

Here, Leo sighed. This was the signal. Talk time.

"Raph, what do we do?" Leo asked.

"Do you really have to ask me that?" Raph said with a sneer, "If I could zap him to the Triceraton home world it still wouldn't be far enough!"

"We can't just kick him out."

Raph froze, he couldn't be hearing this? Did Leo just say that-

With a deeper sneer Raph stopped his assault on the punching bag and turned narrowed eyes on his older brother.

"Are you crazy Leo?" Raph asked, his teeth clenched, "Look, I didn't like him at first but I gave him the benefit of a doubt, but now he's crossed the line."

"Raph, Mikey's already forgiven him and I-" Leo stopped.

"You what?" Raph said warning-like, knowing the answer and daring Leo to say it.

"Maybe, we should overlook-"

"He attacked Don!" Raph yelled, "Brothers don't attack each other."

"Like you're one to speak," Leo remarked to the side.

Raph growled before forcing himself to calm down, at least the slightest bit, "I know, do you think I've ever forgotten!"

Guilt started eating away at Leo's insides again and he pushed his anger aside, easing the guilt's assault.

"I'm sorry Raph, I shouldn't have brought that up."

"Whatever," Raph said, trying to avoid the subject.

A minute of silence…

"So what's your plan?" Raph asked.

"I'm just going to talk to him," Leo said, walking towards the meditation area, where he started setting out and lighting a row of candles.

"I don't want him here," Raph growled under his breath, knowing Leo would hear it anyways.

Leo sighed and sat down to begin his meditation but sighed again and postponed the calming exercise to ask a question, "Ok, Raphael, lets try to reach a compromise. I'm not shooting him off to a different universe, I'm not kicking him out on the streets, he has no where else to go. What's going to work?"

Raph turned his head to stare at the ceiling, "I know Don has a cage."

Leo glared at Raph, "I'm not throwing my brother into a cage!"

Raph scoffed and turned back to his punching bag, raising a fist to strike it. Leo glared again as he was ignored. As is known, no one liked being ignored. Leo returned the same treatment and closed his eyes, slipping into his meditation state. The constant beat of fists against leather and sand helped to settle the battle between the two beings of consciousness, allowing his mind to linger on the edge. When the pounding in the background stopped though, it broke Leo from his meditation and when he reopened his eyes he found his younger brother sitting across from him. Raph's arms were crossed over his plastron and a look of determination was on his face.

"What makes you forgive him so easily?" Raph asked.

"He's my older brother," Leo answered.

Raph glared and swallowed the growl that tried to escape his throat, "Some brother," he scoffed.

Leo narrowed his own eyes at the red clad turtle and tried to make his voice sound as neutral as possible, "I won't abandon him."

"You and your compassion," Raph scoffed, both of the brothers still trying to stare the other down, "It just runs your life doesn't it?"

This time, Leo didn't keep the anger from his voice, "Raphael are we honestly going to fight over this?"

"If you're willing to let him back here? Definitely. There's no way I'm letting him near Don, Mikey or even you for that matter!" the red masked turtle declared with a growl.

Leo looked dumbstruck for a moment before he tilted his head forward, making sure the shadows hid his face and the smile plastered on it. Typical Raphael, worry and let it out in anger. This had been the usual reaction from Raph throughout their lives, it had only recently submerged when their father had passed away. Now here it was again. Leo's smile fell to a frown before he raised his head again to stare at his red clad brother, whose eyes were still blazing, trying to stare through him. Ok, they needed a plan, a definite compromise. Unfortunately, since it was so late, Leo really couldn't think strait, besides, he wanted the others' opinions as well.

Leo took a deep breath, "Ok Raph, let's just sleep on it tonight. We'll ask Donny and Mikey tomorrow morning, Don should be up by then."

"Ok," Raph said slowly, letting himself relax slightly, "What about tonight?"

"We'll just sleep on it," Leo said.

They both remained quiet as shuffling came from the main room. They looked at each other in confusion and got to their feet before walking over to the door and glancing outside. They saw the door to Thade's medical lab open and a tired Donatello walking out, being supported by an amused Michelangelo as the purple clad turtle stumbled from dizziness.

"Can't stand up strait huh?" Mikey joked as he shifted his stance, allowing his older brother to lean on him more to help him stay standing.

"Should I get Leo and Raph?" Mikey asked.

"I just want to go to my room and sleep Mikey, you don't have to bother them. Besides, they're probably fighting again," Don said weakly.

"Yeah," Mikey admitted, "You're probably right. Come on bro, let's get you to bed."

The orange clad youngest turtle turned to the stairs and started helping his older brother along as they began climbing.

Back in the dojo Raph glanced at Leo, "Should we help?"

Leo smiled softly at the sight as a certain pride filled him. So this was what it felt like to be Master Splinter. When you saw the moments where your students worked together as a perfect team. When you were so proud of them.

"No, they'll be fine," the blue masked turtle said a they both heard a door open and close on the second floor of their home. Then, the front door opened and a familiar, yellow masked form walked in. Raph's eyes grew wide and he slammed the dojo door shut before turning and directing his narrowed eyes on his older brother and as far as he was concerned now, his _only _older brother.

"He ain't welcome in my home any more," Raph said angrily.

Leo sighed. He didn't want to fight so he let his mind wonder over the facts of everything that had happened. Then, he froze. An idea was fresh in his mind.

"Raph, like I said before, lets reach a compromise and I think I have one."

Raph's narrowed eyes and stance relaxed as he grew curious. He could never tell what his older brother was thinking and this moment was no different, "What?"

Leo smiled and stepped forward, tilting his head to the side and whispering quietly to his younger brother. When he stepped away again, Raph's face was one of surprise.

"You really mean it?" Raph asked.

Leo smiled and nodded thoughtfully, "Well, if you're ok with it."

Raph's face took on a thoughtful look for a moment as well before he glanced to the side at the air, "I'd prefer a cell door between us and him, but, I guess it'll work."

Knock, knock, knock,

"Um, are you in there Leo? Can we talk?"

"Thade," Leo whispered.

Seeing Raph's anger on his face and the spark of protective instinct in his eyes, Leo motioned to the area of the wall beside the door. Raph nodded and moved to lean back on the section of the wall.

"Yes, I'm in here," Leo replied calmly as he backed up to the row of still lighted candles where he sat down in a meditation position again, "You may enter."

The door swung open, casting a shadow on the wall beside it, effectively hiding Raphael from sight. Thade stood in the empty doorway and he trembled once when Leo looked strait at him with an unreadable expression. Truthfully, the yellow clad turtle hated that look. No one could read it, expect, according to the others, the brothers father. Thade glued his gaze to the ground and walked over to Leo, who was still sitting behind the row of candles in his meditation position. The blue clad turtle made sure to keep his face neutral, he couldn't let Thade know that he was confused.

"I need to tell you the truth Leo," Thade admitted as he sat down in front of the blue clad turtle on his knees, his head lowered in shame and his eyes held tightly closed in a predestination kind of fear.

"Hmm," Leo hummed for a short second, closing his eyes and then reopening them to lean forward and blow out the row of lightened candles in-between them. He picked them up one by one and set them on a shelf behind him before turning back to his older brother.

"You may speak freely," Leo said slowly and clearly, laying his hands in his lap as he continued to sit cross-legged before his yellow masked brother.

Thade continued to stare at the ground as the minutes ticked by slowly. The yellow masked turtle could swear that he heard something by the door move so he looked back at it but saw nothing but the empty doorway.

"Are the others asleep?" the eldest asked.

"Yes," Leo said neutrally.

The yellow masked turtle gulped and finally, forced his eyes to look at Leo before they strayed upward and froze as the two pairs of onyx eyes met.

More silence…

"I'm not angry anymore," Leo admitted, never moving his gaze from his older brother's eyes, "But I would like to know the truth."

Thade nervously clasped his three fingered hands together and gulped again before closing his eyes and beginning his explanation with a sign, "Before, it was a lie, that wasn't my intention to seek out that information. Please, I had no choice."

Leo raised a curious and kind of irritated eye ridge at his yellow clad older brother, "And why didn't you have a choice?"

"I just wanted to know what had happened to each of them, so I went back to Bishop's laboratory, the building the Purple Dragons met in that we were out earlier today," he explained.

Leo nodded shortly and slowly, "I knew but, you were being so quiet I didn't think it would've been wise to bring it up. I had hoped the fire had altered the appearance enough to derail your knowledge."

Thade could've almost smiled at that as he broke Leo's gaze while a small, taunting smile appeared on Leo's face. The yellow clad turtle's gaze fell to the floor and that's where his eyes remained as the remainder of the truth spilled out of his mouth. When he finished the tale he reached into the duffel bag at his side and pulled the controlling chip, in all its shattered remained glory, and tossed it on the ground between them.

Leo fingered the shattered chip, watching the metal gleam in the overhanging light. He bit his lip and glanced across the room at the shadow behind the door where he knew Raphael was still hiding. Watching and listening. He better not say anything to further upset either of them. But what could he say to Thade that wouldn't get Raph mad or say so Thade wouldn't be upset?

Leo took a deep breath and forced his voice to remain bland, neutral and boring, "We'll be deciding what to do about this and you, tomorrow morning."

"What?" Thade's eyes left the flew and flew up to meet Leo's.

"Raph's not exactly happy, you've got Mikey on your side, Don I don't know and I'm remaining neutral in this," Leo said and then saw the submissive sorrowful look that fell onto Thade's face, "I'm sure we'll work through this and come to compromise," Leo said with a caring look on his face as he reached out and placed a hand on Thade's shoulder.

Thade looked up and the slightest shadow of a smile lit his face for a short second. Leo kept the caring, calm look on his face and nodded, signaling that Thade could leave but as the yellow masked turtle rose and walked towards the door he felt his hand be grabbed. Leo had gotten up and stopped him.

"I'm sorry bro, but Don's in his room and Mikey's probably in bed."

"What about Raph?" Thade asked.

"He went topside to stop by April's for some food," Leo said, quickly deciding that it was a good lie.

"How's Donny?"

Leo released Thade's hand, "A little tired but otherwise he's ok."

Thade took a deep breath, "Good."

The blue masked turtle smiled a minuscule grin and then frowned again before cautiously saying, "I don't think you should be in the same room Don's in anymore. We're not sure how he'll react and if Raphael found out-"

"I understand," Thade said with a more prominent frown than before.

"I do have an idea though," the blue clad turtle said and stepped to Thade's side to whisper to him.

"Really?" Thade asked in shock when Leo pulled away.

Leo nodded as a small, but larger than before smile spread over his face, "All we need to do is-"

"Say no more, just watch out for Raph in the living room ok, I'll move it all."

Leo went to protest.

"This whole mess is my fault anyways."

"No it isn't," Leo said with a deep frown, "It was the Foot that attacked you and put that chip on you and it was Bishop who made it."

"Still, I'd prefer not being tackled by an angry Raphael when moving something. Besides, this way I can start trying to make it up to you."

"I'm sorry, about what I said before," Leo whispered, looking away from his older brother.

"It's ok," Thade said, his eyes shining with honesty as Leo's eyes drifted back up to meet his again.

Then, in one of the moments that were rare Leo stepped forward and hugged his older brother tightly. Thade smiled softly and returned the hug. After a minute, Leo pulled away.

"Thanks big brother" Leo said smiling as he walked out of the dojo.

The yellow masked turtle turned and jumped as the door slammed closed. He whipped around, envious red masked eyes stared back.

"Stay away from MY brother" Raph said with a growl and glare.

(HA! HA! SEE! It's the famous passage that started it all!. Now I should probably continue. I can't leave this chapter here.

Or should I?

Hmm?

….

….

….

….

….

….

Nope I certainly can't.)

* * *

The leader heard the door slam close behind him but didn't hear more than just the sound of words within the room. He figured now was as good a time as any for the his red and yellow masked brothers to reach some sort of understanding, or at least try to. In the meantime…

Leo's eyes drifted up to the second floor and stopped on Donatello's and Thade's room. He still wanted to talk with Don and he would, if he wasn't asleep.

Wonder of wonders, if you could believe, the nearly exhausted turtle was up and fiddling with one of 10,000 mechanical devices in his hands. (Whispers: Note sarcasm)

"Don," Leo said accusingly making the younger turtle jump to his feet since he had been sitting in a chair at his desk.

"Oh," Don said, breathing heavily and placing a hand over his racing heart, "It's just you."

"Just me?" Leo asked, a portraying edge of hurt in his voice.

"Hardy har har," Don said, quoting their youngest brother.

Leo laughed and walked into the room from where he had been standing in the doorway, "You feeling ok?"

"I'm working aren't I?" Don said with an indifferent shrug and air of pride.

Leo shook his head, "And you say I'm a bad patient."

"You are!" Don protested, "You think a knife stabbed through your leg is a splinter and a cut is a gash over six inches long and three inches wide. And" Don further emphasized, "You think that a gun shot wound can heal in a matter of two days!"

Leo laughed again and motioned towards the beds on the other side of the room. Don shook his head in exasperation with a forgiving smile before they both sat down on the edge of Thade's bed.

"Has Thade come home yet?" Don asked, running his hand along the sheets and wondering how both Thade and Leo managed to sleep on a futon, of course, he didn't understand Raph's concept of sleeping in a hammock either.

"He's talking with Raph in the dojo," Leo explained and quickly tried to change the subject, so _are _you feeling ok?"

"I'm a little tired," Don explained, "Not tired in sleeping just unwilling to move so much until I get my energy back. I'm going to have to ask our big brother what that gas was, I could make a handy kind of bomb with it, that way we could just knock out the enemy and wouldn't have to fight. It's probably made of a lot of foreign chemicals and strange mutated minerals and elements though."

"Don," Leo said.

The purple clad turtle looked up and rubbed that back of his head sheepishly while he laughed, "Sorry, I HAVE to stop doing that."

Leo's smile fell, time to bring it up. He took a deep breath, "What are your thoughts on our older brother now?"

"Thoughts?" Don asked, raising a confused eye ridge, "What do you mean thoughts?"

"Well, he attacked you and the coma," Leo insisted.

Don scoffed, "So I was asleep for longer than necessary, big deal, you and Raph always yell I should get more sleep anyways."

"You should," Leo said.

"Says one of the turtles I know that sleeps five hours."

Leo shrugged, "If I sleep longer I'm not up to speed."

Don rolled his eyes but then got back on subject, "I'm not unaware of everything Leo, I saw the glint of the chip when we made our to the building but I didn't want to bring it up and be wrong, that's why I slipped my sonic disruptor in the duffel bag he was carrying. I'd hoped I was wrong but it looks like I was right, Mikey explained all he could to me and I put the rest of the pieces together on my own."

"So you know everything?" Leo asked.

"All expect about how, you, Raph and Thade feel about this."

"Well, Raph's angry," Leo explained.

"And this surprises me how?" Don asked with a rare edge of bland sarcasm to his voice.

"Thade feels guilty."

"That's not surprising either," Don said with sighing, "That's one trait I wish he _hadn't _gotten from you."

Leo shrugged his shoulders and began looking around the room, it was all the same but still different from when he had moved out.

"What about you?" Don asked.

"Right now, neutral," Leo admitted with another shrug.

Don sighed and fell back against the wall, making sure not to hit his head against said wall, "How many times must I say how annoying that is?"

Leo smiled, "Kind of seems like the old days huh?" he said, turning slightly to stare at his younger brother.

Don frowned, "Kind of. I mean talking with another scientist is nice and all, but I miss this being OUR room."

"Yeah," Leo agreed allowing his eyes to wander the room and his mind to rewind and play through memories.

"So Raph's really angry, like usual, or like old times?" Don asked suddenly, breaking Leo's concentrated mind away from a memory.

"I think it's worse than old times," Leo said, his eyes and the corners of his mouth falling downward, towards the ground.

"How could he be any worse? I mean he-" Don stopped at the sound of shuffling feet outside the room.

They both looked to the doorway as a orange banded figure popped his head into the doorway, "Donny?"

The cool headed turtles smiled at one another with signs of relief in their eyes.

"Come on in Mikey," Don said.

When the youngest turtle walked in he was smiling. Well, he was smiling at first until he saw Leo sitting next to Don on Thade's futon. He frowned as he met Leo's gaze.

Leo frowned back and took a deep breath, "Mikey, I'm sorry about what I said earlier to Thade. I've apologized to him and he's forgiven me but I-"

"Enough said dude," Mikey said with a large dismissive wave of his hand, "But I thought you were in the dojo with Raph," he added on.

"No, I left about five minutes ago," the blue clad turtle explained.

Mikey raised a confused eyes ridge, "Well, if we're all up here, then who is Raph fighting?"

"Oh, Thade's-wait did you say fighting?" the leader inquired.

Mikey nodded, "Yeah, they must be really angry, they're really going at it in there."

They three turtles sat and stood in a momentary silence until a crash came from the dojo. Leo jumped to his feet and was the first one at the dojo doors. He split secondly sensed as Donny and Mikey ran up behind him as he grabbed the door and flung it open. What he saw chilled him to the bone.

Thade was near one end of the dojo, his sword resting point first by his feet. Mikey and Donny stared at him a second longer than Leo so when they heard Leo gasp, their eyes flew to the other end of the room.

There, laid Raphael. He was on his side and his head was resting in a pool of blood.

* * *

DUN! DUN! DAAAAHHH! Dramatic isn't it? ^_^

*Shakes head* Thade, Thade, Thade. Why do you keep messing up?

"_**MOONSETTA!"**_

… (Please attend author's funeral if she does not survive the chase from the blue clad teenage terrapin ninja warrior.)

While I'm running for my life, enjoy this preview for chapter 12 of MY Brother.

*Looks back at gaining turtle leader while continuing to run for life.*

I REGRET NOTHING!

"GET BACK HERE SO I CAN BEHEAD YOU!"

* * *

Preview for chapter 12:

Karai paced the room without stopping nor even slowing until the doors were thrown open. She turned her angry green eyes on the entering Foot ninja ready to kill anyone who disturbed her when she was angry. Her eyes grew in wonder as they dragged in a large form behind them. Then, she smiled mischievously and walked towards the form, that was moaning in pain, as the Foot ninja scurried out the room like cockroaches.

"Good day," she breathed, looking down pathetically at the form at her feet.

The being shifted and raised himself up on his arms, a color of purple flashed against his skin and his onyx eyes rose to meet Karai's own prideful, shifting, emerald gaze.

He tried to speak but he was swiftly kicked in the jaw before his face was slammed against the floor. He felt the skin on his forehead split and he gulped at the sudden smell of blood.

What would she do to him? Did the others know?

* * *

"There, that's the last of it!" Mikey called out into the main room.

Leo looked up from where he was sitting on the couch and allowed himself a glance inside the room. Then, his eyes returned to the form of his still unconscious younger brother whose head was resting on his lap. Raphael's mask was a bit lopsided so Leo reached out and straitened it, smiling a small smile as the younger turtle shook his head for a second before lapping back into his unconscious state. Leo frowned and sighed before lifting his red banded brother up in his arms and making the short walk into the room.

"I left the shrine," Mikey said, pointing the small area of assorted objects the turtles had laid out to honor their father.

"Thanks Mikey," Leo said with an approving smile directed at his baby brother before crossing the room and slipped his red masked brother into his hammock.

"I'm gonna go check on Thade," Mikey said.

"Would you call Donatello as well?" Leo asked, "I'm uneasy about him being out this late on his own."

"Sure thing," Mikey said with a nod, "Oh and should I call April about all of Master Splinter's stuff?"

"Please do," Leo said softly, his eyes not leaving his younger brother's unconscious form, "Perhaps she could find a place to store it for the time being until we figure out what to do with-"

Leo grinded his teeth together and let Mikey finish the sentence in his head. Mikey frowned and stepped outside what had been their father's room and now was Leo and Raph's room. Leo wouldn't hear of Thade staying with Mikey or Don any longer so…Mikey looked up at the second floor at the room the furthest to the left. Lightened laser beams were crossing the doorway, making the smallest room a makeshift prison cell. The youngest turtle frowned as he spotted a flash of yellow behind the bars. Don had set them up under his own wary thoughts and Leo's orders. They would decide what to do tomorrow, well, later this morning, since the digital clock on the VCR player read 3:23am.

Mikey sighed, and the others thought that their first year with Thade was dramatic, look what was happening now! Something or someone out there had to be conspiring against them.

* * *

Back inside the red and blue masked turtles' new room Leo got up from where he was sitting on his knees before the shrine in the room and walked back over to Raph's side. He watched his younger brother mumble a bit before the eyes under his red masked parted and a familiar shade of partly clouded over onyx looked back up at the blue clad turtle.

"Hey," Leo whispered softly.

Raph groaned before attempting to sit up. Unfortunately, his arms gave out underneath him and he fell back onto his hammock. He growled slightly before Leo reached out and helped him to sit up.

"You scared me Raph," Leo said first, "What happened in the dojo?"

Raph shook his head, trying to clear away the ringing echoing throughout his skull and raised his eyes to meet his older brother's gaze.

The red clad turtle avoided the question, or tried to, by asking one of his own, "Where is he? Where are we for that matter? How long was I out?"

Leo smiled with a relieved sigh, " First of all, Thade's currently in our old room. Don built a device to keep him inside, for now until we decide what to do. Secondly, we're in sensei's old room, I mentioned it to you in the dojo a few days ago remember?"

Raph thought for a few seconds, his mind still foggy since he had just woken up but then recalled when Leo had whispered the idea to him since the red clad turtle was weary of Thade staying with Don.

"And lastly," Leo continued, "As I said, you've been out for a few days."

"How many days?"

"Just two," Leo said, his worry still evident beneath his eyes.

Raph caught the spark and sighed, Leo was ALWAYS like that. Worry. Worry. Worry.

"Hey," Raph said softly, laying a hand on Leo's shoulder, "Stop worrying, I'm ok."

"You didn't see you Raph, the glass…the blood," Leo muttered gluing his eyes to the ground.

"Sorry, I just-I tried talking to him, but I think he's had too many chances," Raph said truthfully.

Leo didn't appear to be listening, his gaze was still glued to the floor, staring at something back in time. Raph sighed again and rolled his eyes. Time to be a little brother again…

The red masked turtle moved closer to his older brother before reaching out and hugging him, waiting until Leo returned the embrace.

It wasn't that the red banded turtle despised things like hugs, he just didn't think it was always necessary, you needed to know when to bash some common sense into someone's thick skull and when to give them what they needed. Unknowingly to him, Raphael had a special gift for the sense.

They sat like that in content silence before they heard the front door of their home was opened and they suddenly heard someone shouting.

"GUYS COME QUICK!"

* * *

Ah, that was refreshing. REVIEWS PLEASE! Now-What was I doing? Oh yeah. IT'S LEO! AHHHHHH!

"GET BACK HERE MOONSETTA! I'M GOING TO SLICE OFF YOUR LIMBS, BEHEAD YOU AND THROW YOUR BODY TO THE SHARKS!"

I will continue screaming. Bye readers! I'm going to try to stay alive for the time being.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! PLEASE REVIEW? PRETTY PLEASE WITH A STRAWBERRY ON TOP? (personally I don't like cherries) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

P.S. Chapter 12 will be the FINAL chapter. This story has been so long but very rewarding. After this I HAVE to finish "Because We're Brothers" so I hope to end it soon and then I can work on "A New Start" Which everyone seems to like for some reason. -_-'

~Moonsetta


	12. Chapter 12

I prefer the iris, the lotus and most of all, the Terra Nostra Rose. (It's brown. My favorite color!)

Ok

*Clears throat*

We are gathered here today to join- Oh wait, wrong ceremony. ^_^'

Well, it's the final chapter and I know before that I claimed I would end on chapter 8 but I just couldn't leave it there after such good feedback. This amazingly is the 50th story I've written on here, ALL are TMNT fan fiction. And I mean, I want to thank so many people for leaving reviews, messaging me, reading, this story and my other stories, checking out my profile, voting in the polls I posted. You all have been amazing, marvelous, spectacular, astounding, wondrous, terrific, glorious, kind, awesome, incredible, thoughtful, helpful, dependable…I'm running out of adjectives...

Heh! ^-^ I think you get the point.

I can't thank everyone enough for standing by with this story I plan to make this last chapter short and either:

1. Unexpectedly Ironic

2. Very sappy

or

3. I'll throw in a big explosion

Ok on to chapter 12, the GRAND FINALE!

Oh yeah, and I don't own TMNT. WAHHHHH!

* * *

Leo was by Raph's side in a second, barely noticing the shattered glass that lay around them both, the shards cutting his own skin as he pulled his unconscious younger brother away from the pile of shattered glass. He glanced to the side momentarily to see a broken mirror leaning against the wall, it's broken pieces scattered over the dojo's floor. The mirror, along with others, had long ago been placed in the dojo for solo practices since you really couldn't see if your form was correct when you were alone. Leo shook the useless information from his mind and focused his attention on his red masked brother. He brushed away some of the glass bits from Raph's dark green skin, only to feel blood gushing through his fingers when he lifted Raph's head. When Leo turned it, he wanted to hurl. He'd never seen a head wound so large. A large shard of glass had cut into the back of the red clad turtle's head, slicing his mask so that it hung limply off his face and continued it's slide to the floor when Raph's head was lifted, hitting the small pool of blood with a silent but shocking smack to Leonardo's mind.

He glanced over to where Thade was now sitting against the wall, slightly shaking while Mikey and Don were trying to calm him down.

Leo growled for a quick second, "Forget about him, someone get the first aid kit!"

Mikey, being the youngest, coincidentally made him quite quick to obey orders, so he abandoned talking sense into his eldest brother and raced out of the room to fetch the nearest first aid kit. After having their luck, they had decided to place one or more in every room. He rushed back inside after grabbing the closest one from the underneath the couch and sped to Leo's side, watching anxiously as the blue clad turtle attempted to stop the bleeding.

"Don leave Thade alone, I need your help!" Leo called across the room.

Quite reluctantly, Don left the yellow masked turtle on his own as the cooled headed brothers crowded around their red masked hot headed brother, calling on the youngest turtle to fetch things they needed.

As for the lone, isolated, yellow clad turtle, he could only stare forward as the memory replayed, over and over and over, again.

* * *

"_Stay away from MY brother!"_

_Thade narrowed his eyes, what was it about his hotheaded little brother that made his blood boil? _

"_Listen Raphael," Thade said slowly, "I thought we had this cleared up."_

"_That was before you attacked Donny!" Raph protested._

"_Raphael-"_

"_Shut up! No one calls me that!"_

"_It's your name stupid!"_

"_Oh, so now I'm ignorant huh?"_

_Thade couldn't explain why he felt the need to always rise to any challenge Raph presented to him but he just wouldn't be made a fool of. Inside of him, something snapped._

_You wouldn't have been able to tell that he unsheathed his sword and swung it around to point towards the younger turtle. For time didn't appear to pass during the movement, like the sword had just suddenly appeared in his hand._

"_What do you have against me?" Thade hissed as he watched Raph slide out the sais from his belt and take a battle ready stance similar to his own._

"_I got a lot against you," Raph said, "First you attacked Leo and Mikey, and now you suddenly attacked Don."_

"_I didn't have a choice."_

"_There's always a chance Sunshine!" Raph spat._

_Thade growled, "QUIT CALLING ME THAT!"_

"_What's with you?" Raph whispered harshly as they began circling each other, "I'll pardon the first two since you were being controlled but what in the world possessed you to attack Don?"_

"_I have my reasons," Thade said with a glare and sneer._

"_So you admit it. Now tell me why!"_

_The second part was yelled with a charge by both the turtles, the two sais sliding across the single large sword. Silver danced along with yellow and red, certain instances reflecting orange shadows in the mirrors surrounding them as the blades slid and crashed together._

_Neither let up the assault, Raph drove Thade backwards until he found and opening and, still retaining some control, turned his sai around and sent the pommel into the yellow masked turtle's stomach. Thade caught the attack and doubled over, falling to his knees as Raphael jumped backwards. The yellow clad turtle looked down and saw his knuckles had turned white from gripping the handle of his sword for so long. A sword Raph had even given him. Thade then coughed and couldn't miss the splash of a few small drops of a red liquid on the floor below him. Red, blood…_

_His heart began to race and his sight went as red as the blood, he glanced up, acknowledge the red clad turtle walking towards him, surrounded by an aura of anger and confusion. Despite humanity standards, there are often times when animalistic vengeances come to one's mind, and consequently, this was one of those times. The eldest turtle shot to his feet and his sword seemed to fly as they met a single, quaint sai. Perhaps Thade saw the other aimed for his head or maybe he just saw the approaching dark green skin. As the small weapon neared, the yellow masked turtle's hand shot out and grabbed Raph's wrist, twisting it to make him drop his weapon. Then, the light green hand clamped on to the other dark green wrist, twisting it like the other and Thade grinning with vigor as the second sai clattered to the ground. He was aware that Raph was saying something, but the eldest's blood was still boiling and he had no control. . He pushed the younger turtle back and then kicked the sais across the room before charging at Raph. He felt an impact, then heard the shattering of glass._

_When he reopened his eyes he saw his younger brother across the dojo, laying on his side and blood lots of blood, his already rapidly beating heart began beating faster. _

"What have I done?" Thade whispered with a whimper that was poorly and only half heartedly hidden.

_Heart…blood…._

The memories came back.

_T-7653-Heart Failure_

* * *

"Why bro?" Mikey asked from where he was leaning against the wall outside the dojo, glancing inside at his eldest brother, who was still sitting on the floor of the dojo, his shell pressed against the wall.

The door was wide open allowing Thade to see outside if he wished and allow the others to look in at his shamed form.

"How can you still call me your brother?" Thade mumbled.

"Because you **ARE **my brother."

"What are doing here Mikey?" a new voice asked while footsteps sounded out as a turtle approached the dojo.

Mikey glanced over and Thade looked outside the dojo to find Donatello standing about a foot from the doorway.

"Leo told me to guard him," Mikey said.

Don shook his head in exasperation, "I need to talk to Thade, would you start moving things? Leo wants everything set up by tonight."

Mikey looked uneasily inside the dojo at Thade, despite everything, the youngest was mostly worried about his oldest brother, "You're not going to fight him like Raph are you?"

Don's eyes shifted, showing disbelief, "Are you crazy? I wouldn't hurt him, he's my brother."

"Ok, I'm just uneasy. How's Raph?"

"He'll be fine, just asleep for a few days until his body can adjust the large blood transfusion he needed. Thade's lab is little bloody now, but I'll clean that up in a bit. Leo and Raph are both unconscious in my lab."

"Kay," Mikey said, walking away a few feet but still staring back uneasily as Don entered the dojo and closed the door.

* * *

Don smiled a pathetic smile down at Thade before crossing the room and sitting next to him.

"Want to tell me what happened?"

"I don't know what happened?" Thade whispered.

"How can you not know?"

"I don't understand it, I was talking with Leo and then he left, then the door slammed closed behind him and Raph was there. He said 'Stay away from MY brother."

Don sighed through a smile and smiled in exasperation, "Again? Look Thade I thought you would see it by now but then again you've only been with us for too long, so maybe that's why you don't get it."

"Get what?"

Don smiled humorlessly, "If there is one thing that Raph and Leo have in common, it's that they both protect Mikey and I but their styles of protection and views of protection are different as well. Plainly put, Leo's protective, but Raph is different. He's more than protective."

"What do you mean?"

"Now Leo, he's protective, often overprotective. Raph runs on a whole different philosophy though, he's possessive. I believe it's personality ingrained in them so there's little that can be done about it but still, they're great brothers."

Thade seemed to sweep the conversation from his mind, "I really don't know what happened with Raph, he started yelling, then I yelled back, then we started fighting, then he hit me, then, everything just went red."

"Red?"

Thade spilled everything then, the deal with the Foot, the serum…

"Wait, serum?" Don asked.

The yellow clad turtle nodded and raised his hand to stare down at it where a thin black line was continuing to fade.

"Thade," Don said suddenly, what if it was the serum?"

"What?"

"Well, it could be an side affect Karai slipped into the serum, or even Bishop, since he knew you needed it."

Thade narrowed his eyes in thought, "I guess that's possible, but Karai said she needed me alive to work for her, I duplicated the serum."

"Well, it could also be that the chemicals released from your brain so your cells could start building up tissue again, also released various other chemicals, something that messed with the imbalance with your hormones, causing to rise to anger quicker than usual.

The eldest rolled his eyes, "And here I thought **I **was the biologist."

"I'm simply being a scientist not a doctor."

"What's going to happen to me now? What did Leo say?"

"Well, he doesn't want you around us, if he was conscious and knew I was here I'd be cleaning the entire lair for the next month, on top of my other chores."

"So what's going to happen to me? Should I leave now and save Leo from kicking me out?"

"He's not kicking you out," Don protested, "You're just, going to be under surveillance for awhile. You're being moved to Raph's and Leo's old room, their taking our father's old room. Leo said the shrine's going to stay though."

The yellow masked turtle nodded, "Good."

There was an uneasy silence after that, ticking by for a whole minute that seemed like forever.

Don's eyes suddenly widened though, "Hey do you still want to try?"

"Try what?"

Don smiled, "The cloning, your brothers?"

Thade's eyes drooped until they closed completely, " I can't, the DNA samples, codes and information were all burned in the fire. I had to get you out of there."

"Oh yeah, you're right," Don said forlornly, his eyes falling to the floor, "They were burned in the fire."

Don smiled, "At least, the originals were."

Thade's eyes shot up as Don pulled his duffel bag, that had been slung over his shoulder when he came in, into his lap and pulled out a notebook, flipping to the first page. On the paper was every piece of the coded DNA and the information that went with each one."

"The DNA samples I can put together since it's all our DNA," Don explained, "I know it's a long shot but we can still try."

"Really?" Thade asked, his eyes wide as they scanned over the information printed out on the page, "But how?"

"I copied everything down, I thought you would grab the originals but I wanted a copy, I may not be much of a biologist or doctor any longer, but some things still fascinate me, especially cloning.

"So it's possible?"

Don nodded, "Very."

* * *

Karai paced the room without stopping nor even slowing until the doors were thrown open. She turned her angry green eyes on the entering Foot ninja ready to kill anyone who disturbed her when she was angry. Her eyes grew in wonder as they dragged in a large form behind them. Then, she smiled mischievously and walked towards the form, that was moaning in pain, as the Foot ninja scurried out the room like cockroaches.

"Good day," she breathed, looking down pathetically at the form at her feet.

The being shifted and raised himself up on his arms, a color of purple flashed against his skin and his onyx eyes rose to meet Karai's own prideful, shifting, emerald gaze.

He tried to speak but he was swiftly kicked in the jaw before his face was slammed against the floor. He felt the skin on his forehead split and he gulped at the sudden smell of blood.

What would she do to him? Did the others know?

* * *

"There, that's the last of it!" Mikey called out into the main room.

Leo looked up from where he was sitting on the couch and allowed himself a glance inside the room. Then, his eyes returned to the form of his still unconscious younger brother whose head was resting on his lap. Raphael's mask was a bit lopsided so Leo reached out and straitened it, smiling a small smile as the younger turtle shook his head for a second before lapping back into his unconscious state. Leo frowned and sighed before lifting his red banded brother up in his arms and making the short walk into the room.

"I left the shrine," Mikey said, pointing the small area of assorted objects the turtles had laid out to honor their father.

"Thanks Mikey," Leo said with an approving smile directed at his baby brother before crossing the room and slipped his red masked brother into his hammock.

"I'm gonna go check on Thade," Mikey said.

"Would you call Donatello as well?" Leo asked, "I'm uneasy about him being out this late on his own."

"Sure thing," Mikey said with a nod, "Oh and should I call April about all of Master Splinter's stuff."

"Please do," Leo said softly, his eyes not leaving his younger brother's unconscious form, "Perhaps she could find a place to store it for the time being until we figure out what to do with-"

Leo grinded his teeth together and let Mikey finish the sentence in his head. Mikey frowned and stepped outside what had been their father's room and now was Leo and Raph's room. Leo wouldn't hear of Thade staying with Mikey or Don any longer so…Mikey looked up at the second floor at the room the furthest to the left. Lightened laser beams were crossing the doorway, making the smallest room a makeshift prison cell. The youngest turtle frowned as he spotted a flash of yellow behind the bars. Don had set them up under his own wary thoughts and Leo's orders. They would decide what to do tomorrow, well, later this morning, since the digital clock on the VCR player read 3:23am.

Mikey sighed, and the others thought that their first year with Thade was dramatic, look what was happening now! Something or someone out there had to be conspiring against them.

* * *

Back inside the red and blue masked turtles' new room Leo got up from where he was sitting on his knees before the shrine in the room and walked back over to Raph's side. He watched his younger brother mumble a bit before the eyes under his red masked parted and a familiar shade of partly clouded over onyx looked back up at the blue clad turtle.

"Hey," Leo whispered softly.

Raph groaned before attempting to sit up. Unfortunately, his arms gave out underneath him and he fell back onto his hammock. He growled slightly before Leo reached out and helped him to sit up.

"You scared me Raph," Leo said first, "What happened in the dojo?"

Raph shook his head, trying to clear away the ringing echoing throughout his skull and raised his eyes to meet his older brother's gaze.

The red clad turtle avoided the question, or tried to, by asking one of his own, "Where is he? Where are we for that matter? How long was I out?"

Leo smiled with a relieved sigh, " First of all, Thade's currently in our old room. Don built a device to keep him inside, for now until we decide what to do. Secondly, we're in sensei's old room, I mentioned it to you in the dojo a few days ago remember?"

Raph thought for a few seconds, his mind still foggy since he had just woken up but then recalled when Leo had whispered the idea to him since the red clad turtle was weary of Thade staying with Don.

"And lastly," Leo continued, "As I said, you've been out for a few days."

"How many days?"

"Just two," Leo said, his worry still evident beneath his eyes.

Raph caught the spark and sighed, Leo was ALWAYS like that. Worry. Worry. Worry.

"Hey," Raph said softly, laying a hand on Leo's shoulder, "Stop worrying, I'm ok."

"You didn't see you Raph, the glass…the blood," Leo muttered gluing his eyes to the ground.

"Sorry, I just-I tried talking to him, but I think he's had too many chances," Raph said truthfully.

Leo didn't appear to be listening, his gaze was still glued to the floor, staring at something back in time. Raph sighed again and rolled his eyes. Time to be a little brother again…

The red masked turtle moved closer to his older brother before reaching out and hugging him, waiting until Leo returned the embrace.

It wasn't that the red banded turtle despised things like hugs, he just didn't think it was always necessary, you needed to know when to bash some common sense into someone's thick skull and when to give them what they needed. Unknowingly to him, Raphael had a special gift for the sense.

They sat like that in content silence before they heard the front door of their home was opened and they suddenly heard someone shouting.

"GUYS COME QUICK!"

Leo and Raph rushed out of their room, Leo having to steady Raph when he swayed slightly when they stopped in the main room. They found their purple clad brother gasping in the doorway of their home.

"I found it, I found all of them. It can be done!" Don yelled, jumping and dancing around randomly.

"I think he was out with Casey," Raph murmured, "He looks wasted."

"I'm not drunk, just ecstatic," Don said with a pout before he was nearly knocked over by a flailing Mikey.

"Dude what's wrong?" Mikey asked, quite out of breath.

Don ignored him and turned his head to the upstairs room on the left, "Thade! I found all the mistakes and made all the corrections it's all stable!"

Thade walked out from his room, conscious of the cameras and sensors tracking his every move, "Are you sure?"

"Definitely, come on," Don said.

Thade jumped down from the second level of the lair, aware that Raphael was glaring at him and Leo was staring at him with a cautious gaze."

"Come on! We just a few more details and it can be done," Don said, grabbing Thade's hand a dragging them to the second storage room they had built long ago after digging it out from the wall.

"Wait a minute," Leo said sternly, making the two genius turtles stop in their tracks, "I'm coming with you two."

Raph went to speak up but Leo slapped a hand over his mouth, "You are going back to be little brother."

Raph pushed the grassy green hand away, "But I'm fine!"

The red clad turtle swayed on his feet again, steadying himself with a hand against the wall.

"My point exactly. Mikey would you help Raph?"

"Permission to chain him to bed if he resists?" Mikey asked.

"Permission granted," Leo said with a cruel smile.

"WAIT! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" Raph yelled as his woozy mind allowed his baby brother to drag him back into his room.

Leo swept the humor from his eyes and turned a serious face on his older brother. Thade kept his eyes on the floor though.

"Go on," Don said, to Thade motioning to the storage room, "I'll tell Leo about the serum and it's crazy side affects."

The eldest nodded and slipped inside the second storage room, coming face to face with an old machine. Three large tubes stood in the center of the room, surrounded by computers and other machines. The tubes were filled with a green liquid, It was ready. Ten minutes later, after prepping for the experiment, the doors opened and Don and Leo walked in. The blue clad turtle's eyes locked with Thade's.

_Understanding. Forgiveness. Brotherly affection._

For the first time in days, Leo smiled at him, and Thade smiled back at his little brother.

* * *

Karai scowled at the broken chip in her hand, "FAKE!"

A great tussle brought her attention away from the computer in front of her. When she turned, she found that Hun had escaped.

"FIND HIM! I WILL NOT HAVE THE FOOT EMPIRE COLLAPSE BECAUSE OF HIM!"

The Foot soldiers scrambled to follow her orders. Some of them slightly missing their previous master.

* * *

"Ready guys?" Don asked.

Thade nodded and slightly jumped when Leo reached out to lay a supportive hand on his shoulder.

After giving his older brother a reassuring smile, Leo turned curious eyes towards his purple clad younger brother, "What about their memories?"

"Already encoded into the DNA. They'll have all the memories back from the day we met Thade up to today."

"That's possible?" a new voice asked.

The three turtle turned to see Raph leaning against the wall with Mikey standing beside him.

"Raphael, you're supposed to be resting, " Leo reprimanded.

"Hey, I slept an hour, what do you want?"

Leo sighed, "Hothead," he muttered affectionately.

"Fearless Leader," Raph muttered back with a mock glare.

"We ready?" Don asked.

"Yep!" Mikey shouted.

Donatello turned to the switch in front of him and wrapped his olive hand around the lever. Leo patted Thade's shoulder when the eldest began trembling. Raphael kept his cautious eyes on the yellow masked turtle after looking over Don and Leo, relaxing when he realized that neither of them had come to any harm. Mikey himself was amazingly debating the controversial issue in his mind. Was this playing god? Creating life? Well, they certainly weren't going to be like some humans and just create them for extra body parts. After all, clones had lives to live too, right?

Thade had his eyes on the sealed tubes, it had been a month since they began and now, after speeding up they ageing process so they would match Thade's own age and inserting the memories already established. A creak came from the three tubes and there was a hiss as air escaped the containers. Thade bit his lip, suddenly thinking. Would _T-7652, T-7653, T-7654 _be just like Raph, Don and Mikey? Or would they be like Thade himself, similar but with small differences? What about names, they couldn't go by their experiment names. That would be cruel, as if they were robots or slaves to be called upon. A familiar sense of old imprisonment ran through the eldest's veins. The serum Thade had taken from the Foot had been analyzed, this time by himself again, by Donatello and by Leatherhead. The three reptiles were becoming close friends.

Thade's thoughts were distracted as the hissing of the air stopped and the steam or smoke that had been the cause of the hissing air began to clear as the shield coverings came off of the containers and the red liquid was drained out.

There was a smoked silence for a long minute before someone started coughing. The five turtles looked around, they were all fine so could it be?

"Hello?" a new voice said.

The voice had a deep tone but a formal pronunciation, a voice somewhere between Raph's and Leo's. Thade gulped, was it actually possible that it-well he was really his-

A nudge on his arm made Thade look back at Leo. The blue clad turtle urged him forward, motioning to the clearing steam.

"Hey Thade?" Raph called out as Thade took one step away from his younger brothers.

The yellow masked turtle glanced back, his onyx eyes meeting Raphael's.

"Yes Raph?"

Raph kept his signature scowl on, then, it seemed to fall away as Raph smiled, "Good luck bro."

Thade's eyes widened. Raph's eyes held forgiveness, but there was still caution. Well, it was a start.

"Thank you, little brother," Thade said, turning back to the thinning smoke.

The yellow clad turtle gulped and raised a hand to wave away the smoke. But then he froze when he spotted a shadow.

"What is it?" Mikey asked.

Thade lowered his head and his shoulders began shaking.

"Are you ok bro?" Don asked, ready to step forward and, well, do something.

"Yes, everything's perfect," Thade said, then his voice fell into a whisper.

His hand closed around a slightly smaller, younger hand than his own.

"Just perfect."

* * *

Bishop smiled over the chip that lay before him. Who needed a mutant turtle abomination?

A ringing in the distance sounded out around the dark room he stood in. There was a click.

"Hello?"

Bishop grinned as an evil look passed over his face. That bumbling idiot Hun had to establish that meeting at his old HQ. He had had cameras on the Purple Dragon gang the whole time and now, he could bend the Foot to his will.

Perfect.

"Good evening Karai, I have a proposition for you. I believe I have something you want."

THE END

* * *

THANK YOU EVEYONE WHO'S READ THIS! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Ok, I think people get it. I can't say much more but I know I left some things open ended like the clones and Bishop's further actions, but NO I did not leave those open for a sequel. Those mysterious are for you yourself to solve. I have to really, truly thank everyone for the number of reviews I've received.

Now I have one last favor to ask of people. Please review this last chapter. There's 89 reviews for this story, so if I can get 11 more I'll reach 100. That would be a dream come true and if people did would update my other stories more quickly.

DragonMasterOf10 I know the story is over but I'd still love to see those pictures. You're an amazing artist. Although I noticed your DeviantART account has been deactivated. What's going on there?

Well, I've just got so much to thank everyone for and please I'm begging. PLEASE REVIEW! Just 11 more reviews and I'll reach that 100 level goal. Of course, that accomplishment doesn't mean the end of my stories. After I rest some since I finished writing this, I'd be happy to finish the next chapter of "A New Start".

PLEASE REVIEW!

Are we happy now turtles?

Turtles: Yeah.

YAY! I'm not getting chased or maimed. YAY!

I'll go out with a bang!

BANG!

See you all around! Goodbye!

~Moonsetta


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